June 19, 2023
Cousins find common ground through play in a simple story with an instructional thrust from an autistic creative team. When “Bossy Older Cousin Emma” visits, she doesn’t understand the way that neurodivergent-cued narrator Riley plays. While Emma and sister Violet bounce “from toy to toy,” Riley “can play at one thing all day long”; while the cousins color inside the lines, Riley creates “squiggly spirals of wax” with sharpened crayons. Following Emma’s criticisms, “the room feels too hot,” but with the help of an exuberant family dog, Riley shows Emma that “there are lots of ways to play with toys.” Declarative first-person text from Miller-Lachmann (She Persisted: Temple Grandin) emphasizes creative, cousin-connecting Riley’s experience (“Points and spirals make beautiful pictures”), explaining how and why Riley enjoys certain activities (“If I line up my dolls and stuffies by size I know which ones fit on the chairs”). Fine-lined ink and wash artwork from Alborozo (This Old Dog) adds warmth through pale-skinned, pink-cheeked figures with wide smiles, and standout spreads of Riley’s crayon swirls and the group frolicking together capture varied types of play. An author’s note shares Miller-Lachmann’s experience as an undiagnosed autistic child. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Jacqui Lipton, Raven Quill Literary.
Starred review from July 28, 2023
PreS-Gr 3-A boy named Riley introduces himself and shares his frustrations about his bossy older cousin Emma; she thinks there's only one way to play-the right way! Riley's way is wrong, wrong, wrong. Bouncing from toy to toy, organizing stuffies for a tea party, feeling like the room is too hot-these provide Riley and readers room to breathe and understand just how important different ways to play need to be for many young children. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations saturate each page with several spreads spilling over with images of Charlie, Riley's exuberant tail-wagging canine whose loving expressions are captured agreeably when the cousins decide to follow Riley outside to play in the backyard. Miller-Lachmann's personal experiences as an undiagnosed autistic child are reflected in this poignant story, which is accompanied by a detailed author's note. The poignant text teams together with ebullient drawings, delivering a welcome and heartwarming message for all young readers. VERDICT Many libraries will find this picture book appealing, especially if their collection of stories needs a new and welcome addition with respect to children of all abilities.-Lyn Smith
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from July 1, 2023
A child's playtime activities differ from those of other kids--and that's more than OK. Riley likes to play in ways that "Bossy Older Cousin Emma" says are all wrong. Emma and her little sister, Violet, make a lot of noise when they play, and they hop from one toy to another very quickly. Riley, however, can sit for hours doing one particular thing, like sharpening crayons until they have "the pointiest points," perfect for drawing beautiful spirals. "That isn't how you're supposed to do it," Emma says. Riley takes the girls out into the yard with Charlie the dog. Emma and Violet expect Charlie to bring the ball back during fetch, but Riley knows Charlie's method of playing--being chased around the yard. Eventually, they all fall down laughing. Inspired by her own childhood, Miller-Lachmann, who is autistic, is keenly aware that there are many ways of having a good time, and the straightforward, spare first-person narration centers Riley's experience. Although it's never explicitly mentioned that Riley has a diagnosis, it seems likely the child is, like the author, autistic, and many neurodivergent children will feel seen and affirmed. Alborozo's pen-and-ink artwork has a nostalgic charm, depicting light-skinned human characters with large round heads, similar to mid-20th-century comic strips. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Validating. (Picture book. 3-6)
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November 1, 2023
Riley likes to tear up old newspapers, line stuffies up by size, and draw colorful swirls. But when Bossy Older Cousin Emma and her sister, Violet, come to visit, Bossy Emma says Riley's games are boring and insists on noisy play and having tea parties. Alborozo's mixed-media illustrations are all rounded corners, soft lines, and gentle pastel hues, giving the book a peaceful feeling appropriate to its quiet protagonist, a contrast to the cousins' more raucous forms of play. When Bossy Emma and Riley glare at each other, though, it's clear there's a difference between being mild and being a pushover. Riley wants Bossy Emma to understand that she isn't the only one who knows how to play, so Riley enlists the assistance of Charlie, a gray pooch with floppy ears and a waggy tail. When the kids' game of fetch turns into Charlie's game of keep-away, the children chase him "until we all fall down laughing." The language here is straightforward and instructive, and an appended author's note reveals Miller-Lachmann wrote this based on her experiences. ("It was only in adulthood that I found out I was autistic.") Negotiating relationships with children who play differently is a universal experience, though, and this will strike a chord with many readers. Adrienne L. Pettinelli
(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)