PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Big Bear and Little Fish by Sandra Nickel & Il Sung Na

BIG BEAR AND LITTLE FISH

by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Il Sung Na

Carolrhoda Books, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-7284- 1717-2

Source: Blue Slip Media/publisher

Ages 4-8

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book cover, summary & illustrations provided by Blue Slip Media.

ABOUT THE BOOK

At the carnival, Bear wants a teddy bear. And not just any teddy bear―she wants the biggest one of all.

But instead she gets a fish. A very small fish. Bear is so very big and Fish is so very small that Bear worries they have nothing in common. Can they possibly be friends?

Gentle, accessible prose by Sandra Nickel is paired with richly textured illustrations by Il Sung Na in this sweet story of unexpected friendship.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Sandra Nickel is an award-winning author of picture books. She is honored to be the winner of a Christopher Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a two-time winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize for picture books, and a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout Europe and the United States. When at home in Switzerland, Sandra loves ambling and rambling and eating carrot muffins just as much as Bear and Fish do. To learn more about Sandra, visit https://sandranickel.com/.

Twitter: @senickel

Facebook: @sandranickelauthor

Instagram: @sandranickelbooks

Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2001, he moved to London to pursue a BFA in Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, where he discovered a passion for children's books. He completed his MFA Illustration Practice at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in 2015. Il Sung has illustrated several books including Wild Peace, My Tree, and ZZZZ: A Book of Sleep. Currently based in Kansas City, Il Sung teaches illustration courses at KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute) and works on new books.

Instagram: @ilsungna

REVIEW

Bear is big and she wants a big teddy bear. When she wins a small fish at the carnival, she's worried that they don't have anything in common.  In Bear's eyes, Fish is too small to be measured, she's orange, not golden and probably likes carrot muffins and tangerines, and can't go on walks.  This leads her to believe that they just aren't compatible.  After Fish points out their similarities, Bear realizes they aren't as different as she thought.  This sweet tale of friendship highlights the fact that differences aren't as big as they sometimes seem when people take the time to look for and find the similarities.  I did like how the fish's perspective didn't change their differences but changed the way Bear saw things.  Il Sung Na's lovely illustrations beautifully complement the story.  The soft colors gently surround the bear and fish.  Fun details add to the fun with the fish's glasses and the book the fish reads entitled "Measurement of the Earth" giving a hint to readers that the fish and bear have more in common than Bear thinks. I really enjoyed this cute book that reminds readers/listeners that differences don't have to divide us unless we let them.

Check out the trailer and other cool resources here!

ILLUSTRATION SAMPLES