Big (Hardcover)
May/June 2023 Kids Indie Next List
“A gentle and loving book about what it means to be big. Harrison’s stunning art style perfectly encapsulates all the beautiful roundness of being a child, and encourages love and warmth for yourself if you are navigating the world as big.”
— Tildy Lutts, Belmont Books, Belmont, MA
The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning creator Vashti Harrison traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.
A TODAY SHOW Read with Jenna Jr Summer Reading Selection
A Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
A Publishers Weekly Summer Reading List Pick
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
* "Bestselling creator Harrison has produced another classic that belongs on every child’s shelf—this is one that will nurture little ones and help them to see the beauty in themselves.... A healing balm with the power to make the world a bit kinder."—Kirkus, starred review
* "This emotionally and socially resonant picture book stands out with its exceptional strength, beauty, and grace."—Booklist, starred review
* "[An] ode to big self-love... Full of important truths about adultification and anti-fat bias, Harrison’s deceptively simple telling tenderly offers the self-affirming beliefs that kids are kids in any body and that it’s okay to take up space."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "Straightforward enough for even very young children to understand and appreciate, but with a vital message for adults too, Big is one of the year’s most exceptional picture books."—BookPage, starred review
* "The text is spare but pointed; Harrison’s emotionally powerful, pink-hued illustrations focus on her protagonist’s inner experience... This book offers readers an opportunity to remember that we all deserve love and respect—no matter what size we are."—Horn Book, starred review
“A gentle and loving book about what it means to be big. Harrison’s stunning art style perfectly encapsulates all the beautiful roundness of being a child, and encourages love and warmth for yourself if you are navigating the world as big.”—Tildy Lutts, Belmont Books (Belmont, MA)