Can I Tell You a Secret? by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant [in Booklist]
The wife-and-husband team of Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant make a splash with their third gleeful collaboration. Meet Monty, a frog who has a secret to share with the reader: he is afraid of the water. Though he has managed to stay dry since his tadpole days, he knows he should confess his fears to his parents, and for this, dear reader, Monty will need your encouragement.
Kang’s chatty, interactive text cleverly creates an empowering exchange for both Monty and the reader, who might also be facing similarly scary challenges. Meanwhile, Weyant adds whimsical humor throughout, from a forged doctor’s note to a faithful reproduction of Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies.
In a meta nod, Weyant has Dad reading what resembles a column-filled New Yorker (where Weyant regularly cartoons), while Mom peruses their best-selling debut, You Are (Not) Small (2014). Chuckles, charm, and a handy-dandy life lesson make this a secret well worth sharing.
Review: “Books for Youth,” Booklist Online, March 30, 2016
Readers: Children
Published: 2016
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Discussion