Publishers Weekly Review
This familiar-seeming tale about being small in a world built for the tall takes an unexpected and rewarding turn. Seamus, bespectacled and cowlicked, hates being unable to reach things like "the chocolate milk in the fridge, the shelf where Dad keeps the TV remote," and a "horrid picture" of himself as a baby. "He'd give his prized taxidermy collection to be tall," writes Hartt-Sussman (Noni Speaks Up), but there's no need: Seamus discovers that his mother's high heels provide exactly the lift he's looking for. Gender norms don't come up, there isn't a whiff of objection to his decision, and Seamus radiates confidence as he strides through life: "He feels free. It is wonderful being tall (except that sometimes his feet hurt)." In loose, splashy scenes, Pavlovic (Kabungo) taps into Seamus's newfound joy with a vivid palette featuring bright pinks, purples, and blues, and he leaves little doubt about how the boy's life has improved. For Seamus, heels are about utility, not fashion or identity-one gets the sense he's breaking "rules" he doesn't know about in the first place. Ages 4-7. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. |
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this hilarious tale, Seamus, a big-headed and blue-haired kid, hates being short. He can never reach what he needs to, including a "horrid" baby picture of himself. He explores a few ineffectual options until he discovers his mom's high heels and, suddenly, he is "having a blast." Seamus's being a boy in pumps passes without comment; high heels are simply a tool that makes Seamus feel great. The illustrations, in rich watercolor and colored pencil, are elegantly patterned and arranged on white backgrounds. The illustrations of Seamus joyfully grabbing the remote and absconding with his embarrassing baby picture are particularly exuberant. Then one day he realizes that some things are pretty low to the ground and being short wouldn't be so bad, which leads him to deliberate on the merits of both before deciding that he doesn't have to choose, a refreshing resolution. The delightful story concludes with a wonderful rendering of a cat, who is present on most of the pages, gleefully wearing four long turquoise cowboy boots. -VERDICT A clever and very funny picture book about living life on one's own terms. A first purchase.-Lisa Nowlain, Nevada County Community Library, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |