Blanca Gomez

On a snowy day, a grandmother and grandchild find an injured bird. They take it home and care for it until it can fly around the living room. It is fantastic—just like everything at Abuela’s house! But a fantastic moment is also bittersweet, for the little bird’s recovery means that it’s time to let it fly free. Drawing inspiration from a formative childhood experience, Blanca Gómez crafts a deceptively simple story that is morally and emotionally resonant and is brimming with love, show more wonder, and a deep respect for the natural world. show less

10/5 stars

This is wonderfully and subtly clever book needs to be read/read-aloud/picture-walked multiple times to be fully appreciated. The details and possibilities are incredible, from the literal left page/right page homes of Bookie and Cookie, to the wonderful meta details that adults will catch, to the early lessons of compromising and not being afraid to try new things. Bonus -- the illustrations are simple and colorful so it makes it easy for the readers to identify shapes and colors. show more I love when an author/illustrator plays with the physicality of the book in a story. Just wonderful! show less

In fresh, unique use of the gutter, Bookie and Cookie each have their own page: Bookie on the left, Cookie on the right. They're friends, but they only ever spend time together on Cookie's page, and when Bookie wants Cookie to come play on their page, Cookie refuses. Each tries to tempt the other back, and each holds firm...until Bookie bakes cookies and offers a taste. There's a message of "how do you know you don't like something until you try it?" and, once they've each taken a step into show more the unknown, an indication that they'll have further adventures - maybe even "outside their pages."

See also: Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy; Me and Other Bunnies by Mo Willems show less

The first-person narrator is so excited about dress-up day at school, but then they are sick that day! Mom has the good idea to wear the rabbit costume the next day, but...maybe that wasn't such a good idea? No one else is wearing a costume...except Hugo, who arrives dressed as a carrot! It's best-friendship at first sight, and the two inspire more creative outfits/costumes among their classmates the following day.

A tender look at a real-world problem and a clever solution. Inclusive, show more delightful. The art resembles Christian Robinson's (School's First Day of School, etc.). show less