I like big books and I cannot lie. The size of a picture book doesn’t matter. I know, you know, it’s about the quality or interest level of what’s inside. However, kids might be swayed when they see a picture book that’s larger than others. It puts a stamp on the bookshelf. It’s a physical declaration that dares young audiences not to open it. Books of that ilk have an awe about them. To wit, Awe! is a picture book that celebrates the wonders that live around everyone everywhere.
From its cover, Awe! claims a large footprint. The scope of the book gets bigger when you open its pages. It’s not the tallest book kids will see, nor is it the widest. However, it’s a couple of inches wider than others, and a couple of inches shorter than the tall ones. The result is a picture book that looks thick from the get-go, providing ample space for its titular letters to dominate the space.
There are two gatefold pages that open up to reveal a four-page illustration of the Grand Canyon. The book is corner-to-corner colors, with a wide array of locations of wonder. There are untold ways for anybody to find something awesome around them. It’s the big Maple trees that line the street on your way to school. The desert is massive and seems to endlessly sprawl out in front of you, but there’s a minute instance beauty at your feet. People celebrating their religion can be awe-inspiring.
A thing that produces awe can be massive in its scope or something that’s simply amazing. Awe! is a picture book that kids will learn to love to read from. The text is bigger than sight words, but that’s not what will encourage young readers to love it. This is a case where the sum is greater than its parts. It’s like cooking with Ratatouille.
Do children need to be taught to be impressed? Isn’t it enough to simply have the amazing sights in their vicinity? We all need to be reminded of the awesome things around us. Think about when you lived someplace special or unique. After a while being at the beach, working at Walt Disney World or looking out your kitchen window at the blocks of apartments in Fukuoka can seem common and mundane.
Yes, people can acclimate to their surroundings quickly. Beautiful geography simply becomes the way to work. The tourist shops that attract people from around the world segue into bothersome trinket stores overnight.
Awe! reminds older readers of the magic that’s around us at any time. Those younger audiences can still readily see the awe in the park. It’s those older readers, the ones who might be reading it to the story time crowd, ironically could benefit from the book the most. All of the characters in the picture book are relatable, and the settings range from the common to the ultra-exotic. Are you really going to see a whale breach in the water while you’re kayaking nearby? It’s possible, but even if it’s not probable, it’s magical to look at the illustrations and wonder about it. To coin a phrase from the book, Awe! It’s everywhere, and it is. Sometimes, it just takes a larger-than-average picture book to remind us, or point that fact out.
Awe! is by Chana Stiefel with illustrations by Susan Gal and is available on Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic.
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