Kobi Yamada

TRYING, written by Kobi Yamada (@livethegoodstuff) and illustrated by Elise Hurst (@elise.hurst), is a beautifully told and gorgeously illustrated story celebrating the power of failure. A young sculptor is frustrated by their apparent lack of talent as they look on to an experienced sculptor’s work and almost gives up on their dream. The experienced sculptor convinced them to keep trying, that each perceived failure is actually taking them one step closer to achieving their dream, as they show more learn something new from each failure.

As someone who suffers terribly from imposter syndrome, this story spoke volumes to me. Just like the young sculptor in the story, I often want to give up on learning something if I’m not perfect at it from the beginning, whether or not I’ve ever tried it before. Needless to say, this is one of those “children’s” books that can teach adults something too.

Elise Hurst’s illustrations are *stunning* and I found myself pouring over each, taking in the detail. Cover to cover, this is a spectacular book for anyone to read who struggles with trying something new. @compendiumliveinspired

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The main character in this book has a problem that follows him around, making him feel like it will swallow him whole. At first he tries to hide from it before he realizes that inside the problem is something great -- an opportunity.

This lovely book doesn't offer any concrete problem or solution, instead allowing children to identify generally with the idea of something worrisome plaguing them before offering up hope by noting that problems often provide us with a chance to learn or grow. show more Some of the words used in the book (specifically "opportunity") may be a little over the head of the youngest readers, but I think this book would work well with elementary school-age children and even some older preschoolers. A parent or teacher can extend the lesson by asking children about problems they have encountered and how they fixed them.

The illustrations are quite lovely -- it's a fairly muted palette, with much darker colors used when the problem is looming and then brighter (but still subdued) colors emerging when the opportunity arises. The drawings themselves are sort of sketch-like but with a little more detail than that. The effect is quite lovely. show less

I have read and dearly love this author’s other book what do you do with an idea and I was so pleased to find this one on the shelf. I love the illustrations of a boy character who seems so relatable as someone trying to find the courage to “take a chance”. A chance is symbolized as a sort of bird creature and it’s fun to read it with the perspective of an adventure story without focusing on the metaphor. I think both the storyline and the art support each other perfectly and share show more equal strength. The first person dialogue is very powerful. It feels like the character is both reminiscing and talking directly to ME at the same time. show less

Author Kobi Yamada and illustrator Mae Besom, who previously collaborated on What Do You Do With an Idea? and What Do You Do With a Problem?, return with this third picture-book exploration of the emotional challenges facing young (and old) people. The boy-narrator here reflects on some of the chances, depicted as golden birds/paper planes, that have come his way, and how he has neglected to seize them, due to fear. Eventually he finds that the more he ignores his chances, the fewer there show more seem to be. Deciding that he must conquer his fear, he resolves to seize the next chance that comes his way...

Like its predecessors, What Do You Do With a Chance pairs a simple but perceptive text exploring some of the stumbling blocks people experience, in realizing their full intellectual and creative potential, with gorgeous artwork that perfectly captures the ideas presented in the narrative. I enjoy Mae Besom's illustrations in their own right - they are always lovely - and I appreciate the way they use color to depict the changing reality around the main character. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed the previous two books, or who is looking for picture-books addressing opportunity, and the courage necessary to grab onto it. show less