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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin – This would be a perfect baby shower present! Happy Reading!
Will you learn how to fly
To find the best view?
Or take care of things
much smaller than you?
Lovely!
To find the best view?
Or take care of things
much smaller than you?
Lovely!
Lovely book that makes a great gift for a new parent or young child. Beautiful illustrations.
Emily Windfield Martin’s latest opens with:
When I look at you
And you look at me,
I wonder what wonderful
Things you will be.
before the narrator begins to speculate what this new child will be. Later in the book, the reader will wonder aloud as to what the child will do:
This is the first time
There has ever been a you,*
So I wonder what wonderful things
You will do.
There are some things that will go without wondering. There are some things the narrator knows about the child, can anticipate.
I know you’ll be kind…
and clever…
The sentiments are more than wonderful and I had a customer (an aunt buying for a niece) admit to becoming verklempt before hugging it to her chest and walking toward the registers with it. Natalya is still in a stage of deep-sighing when I hand her sentimental things like this to read. Fortunately, there is humor; also, she has a fondness for Martin’s art as well.
I love love love the words and pictures on the spread where a boy sitting at a sewing machine holds up tiny pants for a squirrel. Natalya recommends the one below, the one with the band (which Martin admits is a favorite).
The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a page that reads:
When nights are black and
When days are gray—
You’ll be brave and be bright
So no shadows can stay.
The image is a girl in a red coat, hood back, contemplating the red balloon stuck in the branches of a tree at the edge of a wood.
I think the endpapers are pretty sweet, too.
I mentioned the male tailor, but Martin always features a diverse population unusual to most picture books. I adore the details and I love the charmingly peculiar she includes in her books, though it makes sense if you consider successfully writing for an audience with such charming peculiarities within their own imaginations. Martin is well-suited to picture book creating.
The Wonderful Things You Will Be is a lovely, serious yet playful addition to the family library. You can’t start too young with this one, nor can you out-grow it.
——
of note: Martin fans will recognize and smile at the appearance of the Kitten Bandit among others. also, fans, check out RandomHouse’s cool little option to send e-cards!
*a line reminiscent of Nancy Tillman books of the same genre. I’m pleased to have word-choice and image aesthetic options in these books.
~L (omphaloskepsis)
https://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/picture-book-wonder-full/
When I look at you
And you look at me,
I wonder what wonderful
Things you will be.
before the narrator begins to speculate what this new child will be. Later in the book, the reader will wonder aloud as to what the child will do:
This is the first time
There has ever been a you,*
So I wonder what wonderful things
You will do.
There are some things that will go without wondering. There are some things the narrator knows about the child, can anticipate.
I know you’ll be kind…
and clever…
The sentiments are more than wonderful and I had a customer (an aunt buying for a niece) admit to becoming verklempt before hugging it to her chest and walking toward the registers with it. Natalya is still in a stage of deep-sighing when I hand her sentimental things like this to read. Fortunately, there is humor; also, she has a fondness for Martin’s art as well.
I love love love the words and pictures on the spread where a boy sitting at a sewing machine holds up tiny pants for a squirrel. Natalya recommends the one below, the one with the band (which Martin admits is a favorite).
The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a page that reads:
When nights are black and
When days are gray—
You’ll be brave and be bright
So no shadows can stay.
The image is a girl in a red coat, hood back, contemplating the red balloon stuck in the branches of a tree at the edge of a wood.
I think the endpapers are pretty sweet, too.
I mentioned the male tailor, but Martin always features a diverse population unusual to most picture books. I adore the details and I love the charmingly peculiar she includes in her books, though it makes sense if you consider successfully writing for an audience with such charming peculiarities within their own imaginations. Martin is well-suited to picture book creating.
The Wonderful Things You Will Be is a lovely, serious yet playful addition to the family library. You can’t start too young with this one, nor can you out-grow it.
——
of note: Martin fans will recognize and smile at the appearance of the Kitten Bandit among others. also, fans, check out RandomHouse’s cool little option to send e-cards!
*a line reminiscent of Nancy Tillman books of the same genre. I’m pleased to have word-choice and image aesthetic options in these books.
~L (omphaloskepsis)
https://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/picture-book-wonder-full/
I love the artwork so much. Every book that Emily Winfield Martin has written has been so beautifully illustrated.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This is one of those sweet picture books that parents will enjoy reading to their babies and small children while snuggled up together. The illustrations are old-fashioned and absolutely adorable. This is almost more for the parents than the kids, but I think certain children will enjoy it too. Would make a lovely, calming bedtime or naptime read-aloud.
All questions answered by my 4 year old
Do you like this book?
Mhmm! I like the babies.
What's your favorite part of the book?
I like the part with the play with the tiger and the elephant
What do you think of the cover?
I like the balloons! And the baby, he's so cute! And I want those pajamas!
Do you want me to read it again?
Yeah yeah yeah!
Momma thinks:
This is such an adorable book about what a baby can grow up to be, and how no matter what they grow up to be their mommy and daddy will always love them.
I admit this book made me tear up a bit, just look at this quote.
“And then I'll look at you
And you'll look at me
And I'll love you,
Whoever you've grown up to be”
See? It's honestly just such a good and uplifting book. It's written really well and the words just flow.
And don't get me started on the illustrations, so cute!
Do you like this book?
Mhmm! I like the babies.
What's your favorite part of the book?
I like the part with the play with the tiger and the elephant
What do you think of the cover?
I like the balloons! And the baby, he's so cute! And I want those pajamas!
Do you want me to read it again?
Yeah yeah yeah!
Momma thinks:
This is such an adorable book about what a baby can grow up to be, and how no matter what they grow up to be their mommy and daddy will always love them.
I admit this book made me tear up a bit, just look at this quote.
“And then I'll look at you
And you'll look at me
And I'll love you,
Whoever you've grown up to be”
See? It's honestly just such a good and uplifting book. It's written really well and the words just flow.
And don't get me started on the illustrations, so cute!
