Thank you to fellow SCBWI member and author Ioana Stoian for sending me a copy of her soon-to-be-released board book, Always be You, which releases on November 5th. With cut-paper illustrations that have that tactile-look to them and remind me of illustrations from How Big is a Pig? and How Loud is a Lion? Always be You is written in rhyme as it celebrates a child's unique individuality. With words of assurance such as, "I want you to feel happy I want you to feel sad I want you too feel---no emotion is bad" Stoian sends a message to children that it is okay to feel and acknowledge emotions and to always be you.
Thank you again to Ioana for sending me a copy and happy almost book birthday!
