In Every Life
written and illustrated by
Marla Frazee
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
Imprint
Beach Lane
ISBN
9781665912488
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
A simple and profound meditation on the many wonders of life from two-time Caldecott Honor recipient Marla Frazee.
In every life, there is love and loss, hope and joy, wonder and mystery. With glowing art and spare, powerful text, Caldecott Honor–winning creator Marla Frazee celebrates the moments, feelings, and experiences, both big and small, that make up a life.
Author’s note. Full-color illustrations were rendered in pencil and gouache.
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
Details
Format
Page Count
32
Trim Size
11" x 11"
Dewey
E
AR
0: points 0
Lexile
AD200L
Genre
Fic
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Apr 2023
Book Genres
Picture Book
Topics
Life. Experience. Conduct of life. Nature and the natural world. Emotions and feelings.
Standard MARC Records
Download Standard MARC Records
Cover Art
Download Cover Art
Praise & Reviews
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1—This book is a meditation on gratitude, full of intricate symbolism. Frazee explains in a note that she was inspired by a "call-and-response version of a Jewish baby-naming blessing" she heard at a Christian church decades ago. The text is made up of seven lines, all but the last composed of seven words each. Seven is a significant number in Judaism, and structuring the text in this way is a subtle acknowledgement of that faith tradition. Each of the seven lines is presented on a spread with a series of small illustrations, vignettes that represent each idea. Following each is a wordless spread featuring a sprawling landscape peopled by small figures. Each line has a thematic color, and the palettes of the wordless spreads combine the colors to link the concepts. The pages of the first line, "In every birth, blessed is the wonder," are suffused with a soft pink. The following spread shows a family gazing at the sky, a baby pointing to the fluffy pink clouds that slowly bleed into yellow, the color of the second line: "In every smile, blessed is the light." The overall mood is slow, steady, and soothing. The combination of the spiritual words and the prosaic moments alternating with grand panoramas bestows a magnitude to the minutiae of the everyday. The characters are diverse in every sense of the word, representing a myriad of families and lived experiences. While the book's brevity is appropriate for a read-aloud, children will want to examine the illustrations closely. VERDICT Simultaneously simple and majestic, this benediction of a book is recommended for first purchase.—Elizabeth Lovsin
Grades 2-6
Character Building Elementary
For Grades 2-6
This category provides 12 books per year that offer positive messages and spark thoughtful discussions about such things as ethics, kindness, and loyalty.
12 books per Year
$236.64 per Year
Interests
Biographies,Diversity,Nonfiction,Positive Messages
Grades 2-6
Character Building Elementary
12 books per Year
$236.64 per Year
