You're so amazing!

PreS-Gr 3--Joe, the modest but imaginative child from What Happened to You?, a story of the irrelevance of his having "only" one leg, returns. Still blond, still in a striped shirt, Joe hates the titular phrase. He knows he is not amazing, he is just like everyone else, and he certainly wishes all of the other children and adults would understand that Joe is not defined by his limbs or lack of them. When he hears anyone say how "amazing" he is, it stops the game. It stops him from playing. He and Simone, who understands, try different games, including one where Joe decides to be invisible so Simone's powerful jumps can be admired on their own. But no one notices her. They think about "poor Joe," who can't run and jump. Condescension and patronizing remarks run rampant in this picture book, which will have adults cringing in recognition. A note from the Catchpoles includes a photo of a baby, a small girl, an adult man with one leg, and a woman using a wheelchair. To children, this will read simply as "family." Joe's own actions are to surround himself with people who get it and don't think of him as "The Joe Show," at least until everyone else catches up. This book, with its Bob Graham--style cheerful cartoons and utterly common-sense approach, should be in every library. It pulls no punches and lets everyone play on a level field. VERDICT This book, about perfectly normal children having a great time, is absolutely amazing.--Kimberly Olson Fakih

In this follow-up to What Happened to You? (2023), Joe, who's missing a leg, contends with scrutiny. Joe is amazing. Everybody says so--whether he's hanging on the monkey bars, eating ice cream, or even scratching his bottom. Joe thinks that speedy, athletic Simone is amazing, but onlookers only ever compliment Joe. Joe tries to be invisible so that everyone will praise Simone's moves. But the parent of one of the kids at the park mistakes his hiding for self-pity and cajoles him to run and jump. Reluctantly, Joe complies, "because being Amazing Joe [is] better than being Poor Joe"--a bind that disabled readers in particular will recognize. All readers, however, will sympathize with Joe's discomfort as playground visitors point and stare. Tired of "The Joe Show," Joe practices soccer with a pal and experiences something truly amazing: scoring goals after many tries. The authors' depiction of strangers' well-meaning yet patronizing behavior, brought to life by George's expressive cartoon illustrations, is uncomfortably realistic. The only solution that the book offers, however, is for Joe to surround himself with friends who accept him for who he is: "just Joe." While supportive friends are helpful, disabled readers may desire concrete tips for directly addressing awkward interactions; moreover, the book seems to imply that disabled people must simply learn to put up with condescending remarks. Joe presents white, Simone is brown-skinned, and background characters are racially diverse. A reassuring, if not empowering, exploration of the disability experience. (authors' note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.