Maybe

An extraordinarily self-possessed child and a tiny pink pig wander through a surreal but benevolent landscape while a narrator contemplates the nature of potential. Debuting illustrator Barouch outfits the child in a cap made of leaves with a beaklike bill, lending a mythic mood to the journey. "You are the only you there ever has been or ever will be," intones Yamada (What Do You Do with an Idea?), who details possibilities for the child's future ("Maybe you will invent something"). Climbing a stairway inside a book, the child discovers a dark space where there's an enormous polar bear and several species trapped within bird cages and glass domes. "Maybe you are here to help in ways that only you can?" the narrator asks as the child liberates the creatures. The scene abruptly shifts; the child muses, then stitches together a pair of leafy wings that enable the pig to fly. "One thing is for sure, you are here," the narrator concludes. "And because you are here... anything is possible." With its inscrutable protagonist and ruminating narrator, both of whom serve to keep readers at a distance, this is one odd entry in the inspirational genre. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans."Have you ever wondered why you are here?" asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you're here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can't or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book's message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won't be easythey will make messes and mistakesbut the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It's unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life's purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white. More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves. (Picture book. 2-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.