23 Dec / That’s (Not) Mine by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant
The wife-and-husband team of Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant debuted the most ingenious use of (title) parentheses with You Are (Not) Small, and promptly won the 2015 (Theodore Seuss) Geisel Award, given annually to “the most distinguished American book for beginning readers.” Lucky for their audiences, the screenwriter/New Yorker-cartoonist creative pair repeat their delightfully inventive schtick with another highly entertaining lesson on perspective, starring our favorite russet fuzzie bear and his hyacinth best frenemy.
Russet fuzzie sits oh so comfortably, knitting his pink-and-red-striped scarf in the swirly yellow wingback chair. But hyacinth fuzzie interrupts with, “That’s my chair.”
Russet counters back, “No, it’s mine.” But hyacinth insists that he “was sitting in it before,” to which russet calmly replies, “I’m sitting in it now.”
Uh-oh. Sound familiar?
Of course, arguing doesn’t make either fuzzie budge. But hyacinth is an intrepid little beast, and he’s got something that squeaks and swivels that’s also just too much tempting fun. Crashes, tickles, pushes, shoves, and falls ensue … until the very best idea wins out.
Kang and Weyant are clearly parents with much practice in territorial negotiations. How russet and hyacinth finally come to an agreement, regardless of entrenched perspectives in ownership, is a mindful lesson for all. Really, could world peace be just a tickle-fest away …?
Readers: Children
Published: 2015