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Summary
Summary
A playful look at sibling love that celebrates the special bond of sisters
A little sister envies her big sister: for being so tall, for having all her grown-up teeth, for swinging so high at the playground.
But it turns out her big sister admires her just as much: for being so funny, for doing her famous wiggle dance, for being her little sister!
In this heartwarming and playful story of mutual sibling appreciation, Giselle Potter perfectly reflects how we all want to be someone else sometimes-but that at the end of the day, it's best to be exactly who we are!
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this slowly unfolding meditation on the complicated dimensions of sisterhood, two white-skinned sisters with pink cheeks work through their thoughts on the topic. Little sisters, the younger child posits, have it rough: "I have to wear your hand-me-downs with ice-cream stains and holes." But so do older sisters, says the other, mournfully trying on a pair of cowboy boots: "I grow out of all my favorite things and have to give them to you." Potter (Try It! How Frieda Caplan Changed the Way We Eat) works out the privileges and drawbacks of age in quiet, intimate steps that sometimes turn surreal ("A fish probably wishes it had legs and could gallop like a horse"). At last, the older sister admits that she envies her younger sister's ability to make people laugh, then offers a loving insight: "And anyway, if there were two of me and none of you, there would be no little sister to give piggy-back rides to." "And no one could do this trick," says the little sister, hanging upside down from a tree branch. Watercolor and ink paintings by Potter feature classic props of domestic play--tea sets and high-heeled dress-up shoes--in an intimately observed, grass-is-greener distillation of two siblings' experience. Ages 4--8. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)
Horn Book Review
Potter has written about sisters before (Chloe's Birthday...and Me, rev. 7/04; Tell Me What to Dream About), drawing inspiration from firsthand experience. Here she's focused on the common sibling situation of desiring qualities that the other person has: "I wish I was you!" says the younger sister (not very grammatically). Her older sister is taller, gets new clothes, has her "big teeth," and can swing higher. But as big sis points out, "everyone wants to be someone else sometimes," and sometimes she wishes she could make people laugh, wear costumes anytime, and do the "famous wiggle dance" like her little sis. If they were just alike, then they'd miss out on enjoying the special qualities the other sibling has to offer in the relationship. The sisters' congeniality and affection shine through in Potter's distinctive watercolor and ink illustrations, with occasional fanciful vignettes highlighting the girls' imaginations at work. The art also expands upon the text by adding context for these wishes (being taller comes in handy for apple picking, as does the confidence to wear costumes to school...or a fancy tea party). Potter almost always adds dotted lines from the dialogue-only text to help clarify who is speaking. The girls' honest discussion and the common day-to-day activities depicted serve as relatable reminders for all siblings that "it's best if there is one of you and one of me." Cynthia K. Ritter September/October 2021 p.80(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Two sisters declare their admiration for each other. The book opens with the sisters comparing their lots in life. The younger grouses about how she consistently inherits her sister's hands-me-downs, but the older has a different perspective: "I grow out of all my favorite things and have to give them to you." Things shift when they both start imagining how animals must feel: A fish might wish it had legs and could gallop as a horse does, though a horse might wish it could hop a ride for once. Each sister then shares instances in which she wishes she could be the other. This results in a series of compliments to each other, which also makes each sibling see their respective strengths. "It's best if there is one of you and of me," they decide. Siblings everywhere will recognize the detailed, closely observed grievances (the hand-me-downs the younger sister receives have "ice cream stains and holes") as well as the tight bonds that siblings can develop: Who else but the older sister is going to read to the younger one at night? In many of the spreads, the sisters are outside, nary an adult in sight, the palette featuring the cool greens and teals of the grass and sky. A warm, eye-catching shade of pink, the same that adorns the book's title, appears sparingly on nearly every spread. The sisters present White, rendered in Potter's inimitable folk art--like style. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) Sisterly devotion beyond compare. (Picture book. 4-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A young girl longs to be like her older sister, but as she explains her reasons, her sister counters with her own perspective. To little sis' remark, "I have to wear your hand-me-downs with ice cream stains and holes," big sis responds, "I grow out of all my favorite things and have to give them to you." Progressively, the musings broaden--maybe birds wish to swim like fish, and fish want to run like horses--and sometimes, big sis confides, she wants to be like little sis ("I wish I could make people laugh like you do"). Eventually, wistfulness and individual admiration lead to mutual insights and appreciation, not only for what makes each special, including to each other, but also what makes their relationship more enjoyable and rewarding, like sharing piggyback rides, bedtime stories, playtime, and affection. The pair's dialogue and observations are enhanced by expressive, occasionally slightly surreal watercolor-and-ink illustrations, interweaving everyday experiences and settings with whimsical imaginings. Older and younger sibs will likely find much that resonates and reassures, including how the sisters uplift, inspire, and support each other.