06/14/2024
PreS-Gr 3—Vern, with skin the color of egg yolks and rainbow-streaked long hair, really wants to be able to swing like the big kids, but he can't quite get the hang of pumping. He gets some advice from Gretchen, a skilled swinger with walnut-colored skin and curly hair, and finally, he can soar! This is an energetic book about growth mindset; at first a new skill is difficult, but with practice and persistence, anything can be accomplished. The brightly hued, energetic artwork is a perfect match for depicting both the frustration and persistence of Vern and the optimism of Gretchen. The text and the illustrations combine to allow readers to soar along with Vern. Educators will love the message of perseverance and tenacity as well as Vern's willingness to help others learn his brand new skill. VERDICT This lovely, dynamic picture book would be an excellent choice for libraries needing stories about the path of learning, step by step, the small joys along the way, and sharing in that joy with others.—Debbie Tanner
★ 2024-03-23
How far can YOU go?
Vern loves the playground swings, but he usually sits, letting the chains twist and spin him around, or lies stomach-first on the seat. He can’t soar like the other kids. When other children taunt him, he contorts his body in vain, ordering his legs to pump. Then a girl named Gretchen asks if he wants to learn. He painstakingly follows her instructions, and she stays with Vern, not letting him quit, until she finally must leave. Though tempted to give up, Vern persists—and then…he PUMPS, touches the sky, and joins the birds! Earthbound again, Vern hears a small boy wistfully tell him he wishes he could pump. Guess who’s the expert now? Aiming skyward on a swing is, of course, a metaphor for attempting to reach any goal; the reassuring message in this dynamic, fast-paced tale: Don’t quit, keep trying, and you’ll succeed. Throughout, Lucianovic demonstrates a keen, child-friendly understanding of what it’s like to master a new skill: “It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not.” The energetic, loosely drawn mixed-media illustrations zing with color. Amid all this fun, characters’ hair and skin shades are fancifully depicted, though hair textures suggest that some characters might be people of color. Creative typesetting wizardry, with words and action lines “swinging” everywhere, emphasize the action. Swing by the zesty endpapers.
It’s swing, hit, and no miss with this rip-roaring charmer. (Picture book. 4-7)
