Just So Stories

Greystone Books

ISBN: 9781771647106

March 2024

If you have a new baby in your circle, you have just found a perfect little board book to gift them. This is absolutely adorable. Not only does it have that touch of humour to make the sharing a pleasure to the adult reader but it has beautiful artwork.

The illustrations are by artist/author Maki Saito, with whose work I have not previously been acquainted, but I will certainly be keen to see more. Saito is known for her unique artistic methods using paper collage, stenciled paintings, and bin-gata, a traditional Japanese dyeing technique developed in Okinawa.

Although she has published several books, this is the first to be translated into English. These delightful illustrations which evoke a sense of playfulness and whimsy, also promote positive body image and self-love.

Whether your own bottom is as small and round as a bunny’s or as big and round as an elephant’s, all the bottoms are beautiful! I can’t wait to gift this to Little M, the new baby of our acquaintance, and hope her excited new parents have much joy in sharing with her. I love it and I think you will too.

Big, round (_/_) recommendation from me for the tiniest Smalls up to toddler.