Reviews

I am Perfectly Designed speaks to a father’s love for his child and his acceptance of who that child is.  Commitments made to be with the child throughout life, and the child promising to care for his dad in turn. 

What I am Reviewing

I am Perfectly Designed was written by Karamo Brown along with Jason “Rachel” Brown.   Anoosha Syed is the illustrator.   Geared at children 4-8 years old, this picture book aims to help promote self-esteem in children while opening the doors to LGBT issues.  40 pages of a dad and his son having a back and forth conversation.   Remember when?    This is a beautifully illustrated hardcover picture book that I am reviewing for Raincoast Books.   Published by Henry Holt & Co. 

In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.

The Details of I am Perfectly Designed

Check out the colour in these illustrations eh?   Isn’t it marvellous?  Those deep, rich tones.  A good combination of white space to colour. I loved the variation in text colour to show who was speaking. 

If you are expecting a story that runs from beginning to end you won’t really see that. What you will see is progression from baby to older child.  Comparing the when to the now.  You’ll see a child remembering how Dad cared for him, and Dad agreeing with him.  There is always a glimpse to the future. We often see dad reminding his boy that he is perfectly designed just as he is.  A tenderly written book of a boy and a man sharing treasured memories.

My Thoughts

This is a hard book for me to review to be honest.  As a person of faith, I hesitate to recommend books where I disagree with a person’s lifestyle. That’s just there eh?   I have to separate that thought from the actual book at hand. 

I am Perfectly Designed does NOT delve into lifestyles, it celebrates family.  Of family accepting each other, talking over the past, and looking forward to the future. 

There is SO much to celebrate in family, from our similarities to the different things we do, and how we support each other. From a parent reminding a child they are fine just as they are emotions and all, to a child reminding their parent that when time comes he/she will support them!  Celebrate that, and remember you are fine as you are. 

Is there a soft-sell into LGBT issues etc?  Possibly, if you look for it.  BUT if you only see this book a way to remind children of parental love and support, of the importance of family, and build conversations around that, that soft-sell doesn’t need to come into the picture. I am perfectly designed will do just that. 🙂

The Gifts of the Animals is a delightful look at the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the animals surrounding Jesus.  It’s a tale not just about the animals, but about the one the animals are giving gifts to. Delight your children with full-colour illustrations that help them under the Christmas story all the more. 32 pages to educate and amuse children 3-8 years old. 

What I am Reviewing

The Gifts of the Animals: A Christmas Tale is a slightly fanciful tale written by Carole Gerber and colourfully illustrated by Yumi Shimokawara. 32 pages of wonderfully illustrated animals, people, angels, and Bethlehem countryside, a good Christian retelling. The Gift of the Animals shares the miraculous offerings the humble animals in the manger gave to the baby Jesus. 

The Details

Author Carol Gerber is a poet, using rhyming lyrics to retell the story of the Christ child’s birth. This poetic style makes this an easy book to read. The larger font makes it perfect to share with a group of children. 

I really liked how so many different animals were involved.  Ox, sheep, birds, mice, and cow, making everything ready for the Christ child. The rest of the Christmas story unfolds in a sweet, enduring way.  My surprise was that there were no camels, goats, or donkeys involved. 🙂 

The superb artwork and the gentle, lyrical words make The Gifts of the Animals a real winner.  Don’t you just love the colours you see?  The details of the animals making a soft, cozy bed for the Christ child are magnificant.

This is an excellent book to read over Christmas. One of the items I really appreciated was the printing out oof the full bible story as told in Luke 2.