The youngest child in a family imagines how exciting life would be if they were bigger. The narrator longs to be "bigger than Big Brother. Bigger than Big Sister. Bigger than Mom. Bigger than Dad." Being big will allow them to do a host of activities, from eating candy to staying up late to reaching high counters, as well as some head-scratching choices, like swimming with sharks, becoming friends with Bigfoot, and digging to the center of the Earth. The child is granted their wish. Soon enough, however, they want to become even bigger, as they believe "being bigger will be even better!" Once again their size changes, and they become even bigger than before and soon learn the age-old lesson to be careful what you wish for. Whimsical illustrations, which depict a happy family that presents as Black, complement the text. Repetition ("Bigger than a whale. Bigger than a redwood. Bigger than a mountain. Bigger than everything!") throughout makes this story a strong choice for reading aloud. The longing to be bigger and more independent is a common desire of young children and will likely resonate with many kids and their caregivers. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Playfully speaks to the longings of young children. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

It's frustrating being little in a world of high counters and cabinets where your parents and siblings tower over you and the cookies are always out of reach. A small boy imagines what it would be like to be big, which he thinks would make him able to do anything, including swimming with sharks and hanging out with Bigfoot. When the boy suddenly shoots up and towers over the whole hilly town, he is as unable to move as Gulliver tied down by Lilliputians. The boy realizes he's too big to do any of the activities he dreamed of; he can't even move without crushing things. The boy then gets right-sized and learns work-arounds like pulling a stepladder up to the kitchen counter. The bright illustrations adroitly show what being really big could mean. An especially effective image shows the boy's family clustered around the tip of one of his gym shoes, which fills the page. A good lesson in adaptability.

Toddler-PreS--The baby of this loving family wishes he were big enough to do things by himself, big enough to be bigger than his older siblings, even bigger than his parents! He imagines himself larger and is delighted with the results. But when he imagines himself bigger, he can no longer connect with the family he loves so much. This book will resonate with lots of kids who also feel that they would like to able to take more responsibility and have more of the rewards of being grown up. The warmly colored artwork shows a kind and loving family in the best possible light. VERDICT This is a fun read-aloud showing a loving and supportive family and the value of not wishing away the present. A good choice for libraries with young readers.--Debbie Tanner