Review by Booklist Review
Young Roland has high hopes for Christmas, judging by the size of his stocking. But when he bounds downstairs on Christmas morning, the world's tiniest package awaits him. So he closes his eyes and wishes for a bigger gift and presto, it is. But still not big enough. So, over and over, he wishes bigger, until he's seeking the ultimate present on a rocket ship hurtling through space. It's lonely out in the universe, and soon he wants nothing more than to be back at the speck visible through his telescope: home. Turns out, the best gift is family. This is a familiar picture-book theme reminiscent of Patrick McDonnell's The Gift of Nothing (2005) but Reynolds' spare illustrations, which are by turns funny and heartwarming, make this small book an ideal big gift for the holidays.--Kelley, Ann Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A boy with grand holiday expectations discovers that size is relative when it comes to gifts. Roland's Christmas-morning anticipation quickly turns to frustration when he spies "the smallest gift he had ever seen" waiting for him under the tree. He promptly makes a series of wishes, "as hard as he could," for something bigger-and a parade of increasingly larger presents appears. His quest for a gift of truly worthy heft leads him into outer space, where he gains a new appreciation for the faraway, tiny Earth-his home. Roland's red polka-dot pajamas are among the splashes of holiday color in the spirited vignettes that playfully accent ample white space and Reynolds's brief, hand-lettered text. Ages 3-7. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-There is little animation movement added to Peter H. Reynolds's spare illustrations in this video of his picture book (Candlewick, 2013). The main character, Roland, flies down the stairs on Christmas morning, and his rocket ship moves across space, for example. The author expressively narrates, portraying Roland as obnoxiously whiny when the young boy expresses his dissatisfaction with his initial tiny Christmas present. He wishes for a larger and larger one and ventures off into space to search for the biggest gift. When Roland views the tiny planet Earth from space, he realizes that "the smallest speck is the biggest gift," and he longs to be back with his family. The backgrounds are mostly beige and gray, making the red and green of Roland's scarf and pajamas stand out. Aside from the music at the beginning and end, sounds of footsteps and whispering add an extra dimension. Young viewers are likely to predict a bad end to Roland's increasing desire, and the illustration and narration build wonderfully to the climax when Roland realizes that the size of the gift is not as important as being with his family. Viewers will enjoy Roland's warm reunion with his family, but they may still be curious about what was in the original, small package. VERDICT This video honors Reynolds's impressive skill at conveying quite a bit through such simple visuals. A solid choice.-Constance Dickerson, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, OH © Copyright 2015. 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
Diminutive Roland is not impressed with the tiny wrapped present awaiting him on Christmas morning. So he wishes for a bigger gift, then an even bigger one, and so on until he finally sets off in a red rocket ship to search the universe for a gift large enough to please him. But soon Earth is just a tiny dot in the distance, and Roland realizes he misses his home, that tiny speckthe smallest gift. Red- and green-heavy digital illustrations in Reynoldss signature nimble style with plentiful white space propel this predictable tale of appreciating the small, simple things in life, especially around the holidays. katrina hedeen (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Roland is disappointed by the size of his tiny, red package on Christmas morning, but he learns that bigger is not always better. When Roland wishes for a bigger present, his package is magically replaced with a larger one. But it's not big enough for Roland. He wishes again and gets an even bigger box, the pattern repeating until Roland's gift is a big as a house, then as big as a skyscraper. Still not big enough. Roland angrily takes off in a spaceship to "search the universe" for a gift that's big enough to satisfy him. As the spaceship gets farther and farther away, he gradually has a change of heart. Roland realizes that the tiny dot of Earth, with his own home and family, is the gift he wants most of all. The touching conclusion shows Roland at home on the sofa with his family--the only gift he needs. Hand-lettered text and sophisticated, cartoon-style illustrations give the story the look of one for older children or even adults, but the theme will be easily understood by younger children. The message is skillfully and subtly conveyed, and though the lesson could be heavy-handed in less sure hands, readers will be both entertained and satisfied by Roland's progression from greedy glutton to grateful son. A warmhearted, whimsical story with a folkloric feel and a theme that is anything but small. (Picture book. 4-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
