Be wild, little one

With a bouncy, joyful urgency, Hope's debut directs readers to embrace a bold inner spirit and explore a natural world filled with enchantment and possibility. An unseen narrator invokes the titular refrain through rhyming stanzas that state how one might wring the most out of life's experiences: "Chase tornadoes/ high and low./ Storms will come,/ but storms will go.// Run with wolves/ through mountain snow./ Be wild, little one." Meanwhile, a child portrayed with light skin and floppy brown hair exuberantly performs variations on the narrated actions. Egnéus's ethereal collage-style illustrations depict the child riding on a elephant's trunk, rowing a boat above a swirl of colorful fish in the "deepest blues," and dancing with fireflies that flash like confetti across a green sky. It's a lively reminder of how the call of the wild can stir one's soul. Ages 3--6. (Feb.)

Hope's debut book is a bit of encouragement for kids to enjoy the natural world. Readers follow along as a light-skinned child with short brown hair sporting blue shorts and a striped T explores the world around them. "Wake up early. Don't be shy. / This bright world can make you FLY! / Be wild, little one." In this scene, the child is reminiscent of Thumbelina, a tiny figure curled inside a poppy watching an array of butterflies. "Make the world / your own playground. / Fill it with a noisy sound" shows the child perched in the curve of an elephant's trunk as they lead a noisy stamping parade of elephants. Readers are encouraged to explore the world--from the skies to the seas to the tops of trees--all the while being wild. It's clear that imagination plays a key part in this book. Egnéus' illustrations delight, from the child flying atop a white bird to dangling in a basket under a dandelion puff balloon. The "dance with fireflies" is especially delightful. Rich patterns and vibrant colors keep the pages turning along with the rollicking rhyming verse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Each page is an enticement to get outside and explore. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.