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We Let a 6-Year-Old Review Two New Washington Kids’ Books
First-grader Jack E. may be the greatest literary critic of our time.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
It’s been said before: Kids are a tough and honest audience. So, what better way to judge a couple of new local children’s books than to ask a kid to weigh in? Here’s what Jack E., 6, the son of a Seattle mag staffer, had to say about two richly illustrated children’s books for ages 2–8, released in September.
Thank You, Bees (Candlewick Press, $15.99)
This colorful collage book is about gratitude and appreciation by Bremerton children’s artist and author Toni Yuly, a onetime pupil of the artist Jacob Lawrence. “A book about the earth and things nice about the earth—clouds, trees, dirt, earth—and being thankful for the environment,” says Jack. The pictures had “all the colors, basically. It made me feel good.”
The author reads from her book at 3 p.m. on October 1.
Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill, 1521 10th Ave.; 206.624.6600; elliottbaybook.com
Frank the Seven-Legged Spider (Little Bigfoot, $16.99) by Seattle illustrator and first-time children’s book author Michaele Razi.
Says Jack: “A silly story about a spider that loses his leg. The nose part was funny, when he went up that guy’s nose to look for his leg!”
Razi reads from Frank the Seven-Legged Spider at 10 a.m. on October 14.
Third Place Books, Seward Park, 5041 Wilson Ave. S; 206.474.2200; thirdplacebooks.com
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