I WANT TO BE BIG!

The youngest child in a family imagines how exciting life would be if they were bigger.

The narrator longs to be “bigger than Big Brother. Bigger than Big Sister. Bigger than Mom. Bigger than Dad.” Being big will allow them to do a host of activities, from eating candy to staying up late to reaching high counters, as well as some head-scratching choices, like swimming with sharks, becoming friends with Bigfoot, and digging to the center of the Earth. The child is granted their wish. Soon enough, however, they want to become even bigger, as they believe “being bigger will be even better!” Once again their size changes, and they become even bigger than before and soon learn the age-old lesson to be careful what you wish for. Whimsical illustrations, which depict a happy family that presents as Black, complement the text. Repetition (“Bigger than a whale. Bigger than a redwood. Bigger than a mountain. Bigger than everything!”) throughout makes this story a strong choice for reading aloud. The longing to be bigger and more independent is a common desire of young children and will likely resonate with many kids and their caregivers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Playfully speaks to the longings of young children.