ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
PRESCHOOL
Hunt, Matt

Up High

32 pp. | Nosy Crow | May, 2024 | Trade ISBN 9798887771090 $18.99
(2) PS A blond-haired child narrates their weekly Sunday trip into town with Dad. Hunt follows the child's point of view throughout the story, leading to some dynamic perspectives in the book's double-page-spread illustrations. For instance, the pair walks hand in hand until the busyness of town makes the child "feel really small," dramatically conveyed in the art by imposing, elongated adult figures towering above them. The narrator's request "to go up high" is followed by a wordless closeup of Dad -- with his scruffy beard and big, tattooed arms -- settling the child on his shoulders. This elevated viewpoint brings the exciting sensation of feeling big, tall, and able to fly. The duo strolls through a quiet park and then pauses for lunch, and the child, now down from their perch, notices animals: "little things. Tiny things. Things that make me feel like a giant." A new take on size leads to appreciation of and confidence in who they are (à la the young protagonist in Crews's I'm Not Small, rev. 3/22). Hunt's brightly colored illustrations, full of expressive lines and textures, reflect the child's positive experience. Equally affirming is the love and care on display between father and child -- even when interests temporarily diverge (e.g., Dad talks too long to someone, looks at boring hardware). A sweet hug ends this satisfying outing.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

RELATED 

PRESCHOOL

The Farmer and the Circus
by Frazee, Marla
PRESCHOOL

Bird House
by Gómez, Blanca
PRESCHOOL

The Crow and the Peacock
by Fernihough, Jo
PRESCHOOL

Something's Wrong!
by John, Jory
PRESCHOOL

Grandpa Across the Ocean
by Yum, Hyewon
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?