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Browne, Anthony

Big Gorilla: A Book of Opposites

32 pp. | Candlewick | November, 2024 | Trade ISBN 9781536235692 $17.99
(1) PS In a brief picture book whose impact is greater than its size, a series of gorillas demonstrates the concept of opposites. On twelve double-page spreads, they gaze directly out at the viewer with arresting expressions. The first spread is a portrait of a kindly looking, grizzled gorilla. "What's the opposite of old?" A page-turn reveals the answer: "Young." And now we see, alone against a field of white space, a big-eyed, pinkish-haired, baby gorilla sucking its thumb. This pattern continues ("What's the opposite of sad?" "Happy") until the final pairing, which disrupts the pattern in a funny and original way. "What's the opposite of opposite?" "The same!" And here the illustration -- this time of a gorilla scratching its head and bearing a quizzical expression -- is repeated, humorously and perfectly. Readers will want to linger on each compelling watercolor and gouache portrait and spend some time communing with the creatures.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

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