Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Bijan always won. That was his favorite thing." When he draws a bird and shows it to classmate Miki, he says, "Look at this bird! I win!" Miki responds, "You can't win at drawing birds, Bijan." When he later announces that he's won at playing dinosaurs, his friends ask, "How do you win at dinosaurs?" Bijan says, "I always win!" Digital artwork by Tran, making her picture book debut, gives Bijan and his peers clear, penetrating eyes, while textured lines, a palette of muted tertiary shades, and quirky lettering offer the world around Bijan a distinctive, low-tech look. In a fantasy sequence, Bijan roars like a dragon ("I win!"), then dives beneath the waves, where suddenly no one can hear him boast. When kids start to avoid Bijan, and he realizes that he'd like to pivot, the turnaround happens with gratifying rapidity ("You can't win at sharing pencils," he notes modestly). This dynamic socio-emotional story by Khorram (Seven Special Somethings) examines responses to interpersonal challenges, as well as ways to both draw boundaries and welcome back someone who's trying to make changes. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Molly O'Neill, Root Literary. Illustrator's agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--In this delightful picture book, a young boy discovers that winning is not always the most important thing. Bijan spends his time in a constant competition-- with friends, family, and even himself--trying to "win" at mundane activities, such as brushing his teeth. While those around him do not appreciate this trait, Bijan continuously strives to be the winner at anything he does, from drawing to lunch. When he is ostracized, he becomes more interested in connecting with others rather than winning everything. It's very difficult to successfully make a character as annoying and determined as Bijan be one whom readers will be cheering for. Khorram succeeds by making the actions outsized but relatable. Tran's artistic style is well implemented here with her subtle shading, comedic timing, and use of simple colors a perfect match for Khorram's words. VERDICT In this excellent addition to SEL shelves, children will find themselves learning from Bijan and enjoying his story at the same time.--Maria Graybosch
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Winning isn't everything. Bijan always has to win, even when he's taking part in activities that don't have a clear victor, such as drawing pictures of birds, eating vegetables, playing dinosaurs, and brushing his teeth. He also wins in his dreams: He transforms into a scaly green creature and breathes fire at his frightened fellow dragons; later, he dives to the bottom of the ocean--so deep that no one can hear him declare, "I win again!" Back at school the next day, Bijan's friends, fed up with his competitiveness, refuse to sit with him. Bijan slowly realizes that it's lonely being a self-proclaimed champion. "More than anything, I want to win at being a friend." So he treats those around him with kindness, and they welcome Bijan back into the fold. Khorram's simple, expressive text uses fantastical elements to elevate a familiar story of social-emotional growth to a thoughtful parable that will leave readers mulling what it means to be a true friend. Tran's wispy digital illustrations convey both whimsy and heart, using a palette of pale greens, pinks, and deep blues along with a variety of perspectives, to dramatic effect. Bijan is light-skinned and dark-haired; his friends represent a diverse range of skin tones and hair colors. An inspired tale that puts a clever spin on a well-trod message of friendship and generosity of spirit. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
