Review by New York Times Review
IT wasn't until I was 29, and tried sandboarding for the first (and last) time, that I saw the beauty in being merely O.K. at something. Or, in my case, absolutely terrible, which was still O.K. What fabulous freedom there is in just giving something a try, with no expectations. Such is the gentle lesson behind "The OK Book," by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Rosenthal's previous books have a similar bent, validating children's concerns and providing quiet encouragement, all while using light, spare language. In "Little Pea," the book's namesake has to eat all of his candy for dinner ("Blech") in order to get his dessert: spinach ("Yum"). In "One of Those Days" we're reminded that even Can't Find Stuff Day and Itchy Sweater Day are followed by a brand-new day. In contrast, Tom Lichtenheld's earlier books brim over with Mad Magazine goofiness, like "Everything I Know About Monsters," with its colorful, fill-the-page illustrations in his textured matte style. The simple text in "The OK Book" is written from the perspective of a child who tries things and tells us: "I'm not great at all of them, but I enjoy them just the same. I'm an O.K. skipper. I'm an O.K. climber. I'm an O.K. marshmallow roaster." The amusing list continues, with a new activity on each page. Like the writing, Lichtenheld's illustrations are understated. The child, drawn as a stick figure using an O as the head and a sideways K for the arms and legs, is slightly fuzzy at the edges, as if drawn with an enormous Sharpie, and the text is written in a similar kindergarten-teacher print. The white background is sprinkled with occasional muted orange, blue or green to fill in a ball, field or marshmallow. The pictures often seem to contradict the words, yet at the same time perfectly elucidate the author's message. Above the text "I'm an O.K. pancake flipper" we see that the pancake has landed on the child's head. In another illustration we see our hero being whisked off the page, feet in the air, above the explanation "I'm an O.K. tug-of-war-er." The effect is endearing and funny, and young readers will certainly see themselves in the anonymous character. Part of the moral is that everyone will eventually find a way to shine. At the end of the book, the child lies in bed imagining success as a baker, painter or astronaut - "One day, I'll grow up to be really excellent at something." The lesson is a sweet reminder to engage in life just for the sake of it. And though, yes, the author hits us over the head, she does it with a silly foam mallet. Rebecca Zerkin is a literacy teacher at Public School 9 in Manhattan.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [October 27, 2009]
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Go ahead and enjoy doing things even if you're just OK at them, this friendly concept book advises. Lichtenheld (What Are You So Grumpy About?) sets aside the color spreads of his previous titles for simple line drawings based on a visual pun. The book's hero is a little stick figure whose head is the "O" of "OK," and whose arms and legs are the "K." (Imagine the word "OK" tipped up on its side.) The scenery is similarly minimal: a black horizon line, a squiggly tree, some grass. "I like to try a lot of different things," the OK figure says. "I'm not great at all of them, but I enjoy them all the same." On each succeeding page, the stick figure turns in a series of OK performances, roasting a marshmallow, cutting a sandwich not really in half ("I'm an OK sharer"), and looking at the result of his fishing-a tangle of seaweed and a boot. "One day, I'll grow up to be really excellent at something," OK says, while lying in bed. "I don't know what it is yet... but I sure am having fun figuring it out." In this age of skateboarding championships and spelling bee movies, it can't hurt to remind kids that the pleasure we take in simple activities is what makes life worthwhile. All ages. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this paean to trying new things, Rosenthal and Lichtenheld tip the word "OK" over to create a childlike stick figure who is able to do many things, if not perfectly. Each page features simple graphic line drawings with a touch of color portraying the truly symbolic character trying various activities: jumping, fishing, roasting marshmallows, climbing trees, and playing baseball. Though clearly not a complete success at any single activity, OK is undeterred. "One day I'll grow up to be really excellent at something. I don't know what it is yet-but I sure am having fun figuring it out." The illustrations use the simplest of lines to convey a world of emotion and meaning. A refreshing change of pace for children who live in a goals-driven society, this "I'm OK" book will find a welcoming audience among readers and listeners of every ability.-Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A stick figure resembling the word ""OK"" rotated clockwise ninety degrees (the o is the head) relates all the activities he can sort of do: ""I'm an OK tightrope walker,"" ""I'm an OK sledder."" The repetitive text grows tiresome, but the book's highlight is its imaginatively spare art featuring thick black lines and calculated use of green, yellow, and blue. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Promoting the virtues of adequacy, a stick figure with an "O" for a head atop a "K" body demonstrates moderate abilities to skip, climb, hide, share, swim and other common acts. The narrator's OK with that, because "One day, I'll grow up to be really excellent at something. I don't know what it is yet...but I sure am having fun figuring it out." Fluent lines and occasional patches of smooth color give the minimalist illustrations an easy visual flow appropriate to the low-pressure premise. Consider this esteem-building descendant of Robert Kraus's Leo the Late Bloomer, illus by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey (1971), a healthier alternative to the pushier likes of Jamie Lee Curtis's I'm Gonna Like Me, illus by Laura Cornell (2002), or Anne Morris's Hats, Hats, Hats (1989). (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
