William by Claire Harrison and Felicity McElroy.  Ages 2+.  Indepenpress Publishing Ltd.  May 2013. 48 pages.  ISBN-13: 978-1780036137. Fiction. $12.54

At a Glance:

This is a sweet and loving book that celebrates little boys.  It is a beautifully told account of a wonderful little monkey, William.  The illustrations are as playful and fun as the story.  The images and font are huge making it a very accessible book for very young children.  My son and I both loved this book and I highly, highly recommend it.

Summary:  

William is a boy.  He’s like a lot of little boys.  He is cherished, loved, and wonderful.  He isn’t perfect, but he is perfect just the way he is.  His family adores his rambunctiousness, his dirty laundry, and his love of collecting things.  Sometimes William doesn’t listen, but he’s learning.  It’s a love story of a family to their little boy.

Our Experience Reading this Book:

This book is a joy to read with my son.  My son identified with William immediately.  The pictures are huge and the writing, while it dances around the page, is well-designed and easy to follow.  (In some picture books, when the writing is all over the page, it can be a pain to read. This is certainly not the case here.)  The large font makes it easy for me to point to the words as I read it to my son without it feeling forced or me covering up any other words.  My son is beginning to be able to identify words here and there and he especially enjoys how big the words are.  My son also enjoys yelling out, “Be careful William!” when William is high on a cliff.  He also consistently snuggles up closer to me towards the end of the book when it says, “He just loves the cuddles and kisses his Mummy gives him!”  It’s very sweet without ever being sappy or over the top.  It also does a great job of celebrating little boys without being too stereotypical.  I’m impressed with how well it is executed.

The more picture books I read with my son the more I come to appreciate books that promote goodness and love.  I am so glad that this book crossed my path.  It is a true joy and promotes the happy, wonderful things about having a little boy.  I hope you get a chance to check it out.

Author/Illustrator Websites:

• Claire Harrison:  http://www.williamismyname.com/
• Felicity McElroy:  Still searching…

Where Obtained:   I received a review copy from the publisher.  No other compensation was received.  The opinions expressed here are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” If you click on the link and purchase the book, I will receive an affiliate commission.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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I’m linking this post to the Kid Lit Blog Hop hosted at Motherdaughtbookreviews.com.  This happens on the first and third Wednesday of the month.  Please go check it out and post a review of your own!  There are lots of great reviews, ideas, and activities for children here!