Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Starred Review Standing upon a hill, a child wishes to be a butterfly, free to fly anywhere. Above her, a butterfly yearns to be a stick insect­ conspicuous! A stick insect wants to swirl across water like a whirligig beetle, which wants to be as brave at night as a firefly, which esteems the communal lifestyle of a bee, which respects the independence of a spider. With each small animal admiring another, the story comes full circle when a dragonfly longs to be a child, "Then I could run, jump, laugh, play hide-and-seek, count, build houses . . . and so much more." The imaginative narrative guides viewers through a series of richly colorful, dynamic collages, each showcasing a creature and its particularly enviable ability, characteristic, or situation. In an appended section, Van Hout presents an illustrated glossary with a relevant fact or two about each animal, as well as an art project advising kids on creating their own collage creatures by sliding scraps of paper around "until you feel happy," a possible insight into her own creative process and one that may explain how a picture book based on longing manages to express such delight in the natural world. Originally published in the Netherlands, this radiant picture book has international appeal.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Welcome to the world of minibeasts!Beginning with a child's wish to be a butterfly so she can fly everywhere, this straightforward yet poetic selection introduces young readers and listeners to an array of tiny creatures, including butterflies, fireflies, bees, spiders, snails, and more, all the while showcasing something special about each one of them. Every spread, crafted with striking paper-collage illustrations reminiscent of the work of Eric Carle and Denise Fleming, glows with red, blue, green, and yellow hues and provides an entrance to an intricate and appealing environment specific to the creature. Simple, repeating text ("If only I were a…") names a distinctive aspect of each invertebrate's appearance, behavior, social structure, or ability or how it is perceived by others. This is then mirrored in the picture and leads to that animal's description of the following creature: "The stick insect thought, / If only I were a whirligig beetle. / Then I could swirl across the water." The racially diverse children who appear in the initial and final pages are active, smiling, curious, a part of the natural world themselves, and they feature similar abilities of their own. This gentle celebration of differences also promotes an appreciation of others' strengths and quietly emphasizes relationships within the animal kingdom.A colorful introduction to the natural sciences featuring warm and inviting illustrations. (glossary, art tips) (Picture book. 2-5)

School Library Journal (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

PreS-K A child and a multitude of small creatures all wish they could be something else. A little girl wishes to be a butterfly that can fly everywhere, but the butterfly would like to be a stick bug that doesn't stand out so much. Of course, the stick bug thinks the whirligig beetle has the better life and so on, until the story circles round to a dragonfly that wishes it could be a child. Implied messages about imagination and finding satisfaction in your own special abilities are there for children to interpret as they choose. Van Hout employs painted papers in the style of Eric Carle to collage plants and critters and places them on backdrops washed in vibrant, translucent color. The result is spread after spread of exuberantly busy, beautiful life. A glossary with one to two sentences of information about each featured animal is included, as are instructions for making painted papers and collage. VERDICT A visual delight, this picture book offers openings for conversation about wishes, predictions, and one's own enviable strengths.Jan Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County Public Sch., VA