School Library Journal Starred Review (Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

PreS-Gr 2 —A Turkish author and illustrator create an eerie then uplifting story of lives united from two distinct and unsettling perspectives. On every spread, two similar plots unfold with often identical text. In one, a boy and his mother leave home, his favorite stuffed bear left behind after a night of fireworks in the distance; in the other, a girl and her papa have to abandon their home, where bombs fall nearby, and where her pet goldfish will stay. Onlookers will follow the dual-progress of each parent and child: on the lefthand page, life is normal, while on the right, father and daughter are refugees. As with Anthony Browne's books, so much is left unstated that readers will have to fill in the details, but by the end, the boy and the girl are witnessing the same ferris wheel, at the same fair, although their paths were radically different to get there. The simplicity of the structure gives the plot power; by employing parallels, children will see the author's expressed hope in a note—that we are all the same. Very moving images accompany the tale, with a looming goldfish representing memories, or perhaps loved ones, who were also left behind. It is not a cozy book, but a provocative one, and works best when shared in groups where lively discussion can answer some of the questions the author leaves open. VERDICT A book for the SEL shelves or to add to a collection about war, upheaval, and moving, this work will echo with readers, or perhaps haunt them—either way, the book is unforgettable.—Kimberly Olson Fakih

Kirkus Reviews

This Turkish import follows parallel stories centering on families in vastly different situations.On the left-hand side of a double-page spread, a mother and son step outside. Their neighborhood has challenges: construction, busy intersections. The mother takes her son's hand and tells him, "Be careful." The right-hand side of each spread shows a father and his daughter also facing difficulties: rubble from explosions, tanks in the street. "Be careful," the father warns. As they pass a candy store, each child eagerly looks inside. "No, dear," says the mother, "not before lunch." But the father, seeing broken glass and spilled candy, says, "No dear, not anymore." The two families continue to engage in similar actions but in very different circumstances. At each step, an adored pet fish that the girl must leave behind floats gently in the sky next to the father/daughter duo. Kozikoğlu's author's note states that conflict in her native Turkey inspired the book and explains that the fish symbolizes "longing for the home left behind as well as hope for the future." Its orange scales are echoed in the compelling art, shining bright and conveying hope. Each family ends up on a Ferris wheel as this tender, cleverly told tale reminds readers that we're all on the same ride, no matter how different our lives may seem. Characters are tan-skinned and dark-haired.The disparities may seem stark, but the similarities resonate the deepest. (Picture book. 5-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The fates of two children—a boy on an outing and a girl escaping from conflict—are contrasted in this taut parallel telling by Turkish author Kozikog˘lu and Bulgarian illustrator Sönmezay. In an early spread, a boy snuggled with a stuffed animal on the verso is woken by his Mama: “Say goodbye to Teddy. He will be here when you get home.” On the recto, a departing girl woken by her father reaches for a fishbowl: “Say goodbye to Fish,” Papa says. “He will be with you in your heart.” As the bright orange fish floats in the air behind the girl, paired frames continue. Mama warns about cars in the street: “Watch out.” On the facing page, in a city that bears signs of warfare, Papa offers the same warning about an approaching tank. The four, portrayed in painterly art with pale skin and dark hair, end up at a fair together, waiting to ride an orange Ferris wheel. When they board it, it “turns... around and around, trading places until everyone understands they are all riding the same Ferris wheel.” An author’s note provides context for this thoughtful title about “the dreams we share, and our universal right to seek safety.” Ages 4–7. (Dec.)