While spending time with my granddaughter at my local bookstore, we stayed for story time. I recognized a story I had read this past summer. I had given it 5 stars at the first reading and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. Not only that, but I could see that the young crowd was enthralled by the reading too. Miss Bea read with enthusiasm and humorous commentary, keeping the little ones glued to their seats the entire time. (Bonus: she helped them learn how to breath in and out to the count of five for each breath.)
written and illustrated by Galia Bernstein Harry N. Abrams, 2019
The story is about a young monkey who wants a little alone time, which is hard to have with two parents, numerous aunts, and even more cousins all chattering at the same time and grooming her endlessly. She takes off by herself and learns some important life lessons about ‘doing nothing’ from a lizard sitting on a rock. She also huts her foot on one of those rocks, which when she returns home gives all her relatives reason to kiss it and make it better. This experience helps her realize that she has the best of both worlds in a large a loving family and a quiet and reflective friend.
5 Stars Not only a sweet story, but also an important one. Autonomy and support. Exactly what a child learning to be independent needs and wants.
Juliana Lee 