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It’s nighttime in the rainforest, and when Mama tells young Faly to shut his eyes, he objects. “Only if Mahandry sleeps, too,” he tells his mother. “But I am bigger than you, Faly,” answers the older lemur brother. “I am allowed to go to bed later.” Thus begins a spirited back-and-forth and a family gambol that brings a mama and her two lemur sons from the hollow of their tree to a dangerous wide river crossing to a slippery rushing waterfall and eventually to a tall tree filled with orchids to snack on. And with each step, the brothers notice who gets help from mama or who gets the kind of independence that comes with being big. Each child desires both, and each child quietly reflects throughout on why he would rather be more like the other. No matter, it always seems true to one brother that the other has the advantage.
Anne Gutman’s poignant tale of siblings seesawing through a typical day en famille rings with truth, humor, and sensitivity. Georg Hallensleben's paintings of the rainforest in pinks, browns, and greens are a feast for the eyes and a treat for nature fans, and especially for young readers being introduced to the magic of the rainforest and its inhabitants for the first time.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 5, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781662640490
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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October 1, 2024
Adorable lemurs learn that there are benefits and drawbacks to being both too big and too little. Faly is too little to stay up late. His older brother, Mahandry, is too big to be carried on Mama's back. Faly is too little to cross the river's mossy stepping stones, while Mahandry is too big to be held in Mama's arms as the family crosses the narrow path under the waterfall. Faly is too little to climb a tree to reach Mahandry's splendid vantage point. Mahandry must peel lychees himself, while Mama peels them for Faly. Mahandry can forage on his own, but Faly can climb on Mama's shoulders to reach the tastiest of the orchids Mahandry has found. After every disappointment, each lemur expresses a poignant wish: "I would like to be big, too." "I wish I were still little." But at the end of the day, in their bed of leaves, they can snuggle together with Mama, who reassures them that they are getting bigger daily, but they'll both always be her "sweet little ones." Most children, even those without siblings, often hear themselves labeled "too big" or "too little," so the message of this tender yet never overly sentimental book will resonate. The lush, painterly illustrations, with swathes of intense neon color, immerse readers in a vibrant setting, presumably Madagascar. A delightful and insightful child's-eye musing on size.(Picture book. 4-8)COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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