Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Using rhythmic, rhyming couplets--"Brown eyes/ green eyes/ hazel or blue// You can see me/ and/ I can see you!"--this upbeat narrative by Park (My Book and Me) follows an East Asian--cued protagonist from awakening to bedtime. As language expounds on the concept of perception, the child observes others' expressions ("Smiling eyes/ bright eyes"), notes various ways of sensing the world (including using glasses and braille), and employs their "mind's eye." Many encounters result in opportunities to initiate connection: the child helps an elder with "worried eyes" navigate stairs, and comforts a toddler with "sad eyes" who's lost an ice cream cone. Wen (Wolfgang in the Meadow) builds an emotionally textured world around the spare narrative--richly painted in gouache and detailed in colored pencil, luminous light-soaked images evoke a child's appreciation of a day of noticing and attuning. Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd. Illustrator's agent: Christy Ewers, CAT Agency. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--An ode to eyes and their capacity for conveying diverse messages. Park uses rhyme to tell of one community-engaged youth's experience with a variety of individuals throughout the day: "Smiling eyes/ Bright eyes/ Twinkling eyes--wink!" Readers are taken through what appears to be a typical day for the main character, unnamed and with no pronouns, with black hair and brown eyes, and of Asian descent. The spirited youth can be seen in different settings, such as the neighborhood dumpling shop. Every illustration is full of color and texture. The artist appears to have used a mix of watercolor and sketch. The vibrant illustrations help readers connect with the characters and the community, which appears to be a highly populated city. Language used in this book is fitting for early readers. This is not intended as a story with full-blown character development but snapshots of a bustling cityscape and its residents. The cover shows three children, one with blue eyes, the others with brown. Among families, no two characters look alike, and the streets are filled with those from different cultures or backgrounds without assigning racial identification. If the goal is to create a poetic representation of people within a busy city, this is an utter success. VERDICT The illustrations and the author's use of rhyme work wonderfully together in a lovingly crafted story of diversity.--Renee Sanchez
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In Newbery Medalist Park's latest, a child explores the community through the eyes of others. Eye imagery is ever-present in this book, starting with the opening pages. The protagonist, who presents East Asian, awakens; surrounded by vibrant yellow sheets that resemble an eyelid, the child's face looks like a pupil. Downstairs, the youngster notices family members' eyes: "Smiling eyes / bright eyes / twinkling eyes--wink!" At school, the child's diverse classmates smile with their own "shining eyes," "wide eyes," and "surprised eyes--blink!" The protagonist observes the other children's eye colors: "Brown eyes / green eyes / hazel or blue / You can see me / and I can see you!" Scenes of a charming neighborhood are warmly textured with blots and lines of bright colors that bring movement and depth to each page. The tale gently transitions to a neighborhood street as Park muses further on eyes. Characters pick out glasses; others read stories (some via braille). They also use their eyes to express--and notice--emotions. As the child eventually falls asleep, Wen leaves us with the image of constellations in the sky forming the shape of an eye. Paired with warm and whimsical portrayals of an inclusive, supportive community, the verse is simple and jaunty yet potent, encouraging young readers to consider this sense from various angles. Eye-catching and inspiring.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
