It’s review season for THE MORE YOU GIVE. Magazine reviews often start coming in several months before the book is on sale. Readers may not realize that on the day an author is celebrating her book launch, she’s already received a verdict on the book from multiple magazines, newspapers, book bloggers, etc. Kirkus is often the first out of the gate and they are notoriously tough. Of course, they don’t review everything (there’s just too many books for any outlet to do that). And of the books they review, about 10% receive a star, marking it as an outstanding book.
I’m pleased to report THE MORE YOU GIVE was given a STAR! Here’s the full review:
Kirkus Reviews
THE MORE YOU GIVE Author: Marcy CampbellIllustrator: Francesca SannaPublisher:Knopf
The old saying that the important things in life aren’t things gets the picture-book treatment.
There’s a lot packed into the spare text, which spans decades of time to share how first a grandmother and grandson, then the grandson grown up with a daughter of his own, and finally that daughter with her son share their love. They value the intangible gifts they give and receive in relationship with each other—patience, hugs, stories, and so on. Sanna’s art depicts characters with a range of skin colors and hair textures. The act of planting trees and watching them grow on the land where the family lives helps convey the passage of time while also serving as metaphor for the family’s history and how their love for one another sustains them across generations. Moments of loss also arise, as do connections with community beyond the small family units. Throughout, Sanna’s expressive art employs a warm palette and a soft visual texture befitting the tenderness of the text, which often evokes The Giving Tree (“And they were happy”) but with a far more community-minded message. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A book to give and to share with loved ones. (Picture book. 3-8)