By Jill Twiss, Illustrations By Eg Keller
HarperCollins, 2019
Picture Book, 32 pages, Ages 3-7
“What do you do when someone new comes knocking at your door? Do you turn them away? Or do you let them in?”
Jitterbug is a chipmunk that doesn’t like change. She likes everything to stay the same. One day someone new came into the woods. Jitterbug got a terrible feeling in her tummy. What if things changed? She told the new stranger, Pudding the Snail, that he couldn’t stay in the woods.
A playful, expressive, and entertaining book for all ages.
Her friends gathered round and talked to Jitterbug about what it’s like to be new, and how scary that can be. What choice did Jitterbug make? Did she change her mind about having someone new become a friend?
Great picture books tell important stories to both the young and the old. Every child will recognize The Someone New, we’ve all been new at one time or another. Someone New could be a new student, co-worker, family member, teacher, or pet! This book teaches that kindness is stronger than fear.
The illustrations in this book are so expressive that each animal’s personality comes to life. The text is illustrative as well, with the snail moving Verrrrrryyyyy sloooowwwwwlllllyyyy! Together the book is delightful. I especially liked the backpack and sleeping bag on top of Pudding’s shell.
If I had one criticism of this book, it’s that I wished there had been more. But I think that’s a sign of a well written, well illustrated story!
The Someone New by Jill Twiss receives five stars from this reviewer.