PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Love Made Me More by Colleen Rowan Kosinski & Sonia Sanchez



ABOUT THE BOOK

An unexpectedly heartfelt tale of a friendship between a boy and an origami crane that continues throughout the boy’s life.

When a boy’s grandmother shows him how to fold an origami crane, the boy and crane become instant friends. They sail around the room and play, but the crane also watches over the boy and comforts him in a time of loss. The crane is always on the boy’s nightstand—it’s the last thing he sees each night and the first thing he sees each morning.

Over time, the boy grows older, and the crane becomes dusty. But even when the boy becomes a young man, the crane plays a part in the most important moments of his life. And one day, just like his grandmother before him, the man shows his own son how to fold origami as the crane looks on.

Beautifully written and illustrated, this story of an unlikely friendship that spans generations reminds us how much one moment with a loved one can affect our lives in the most meaningful way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Colleen Rowan Kosinski is the author of A Home Again and the author-illustrator of Lilla’s Sunflowers and A Promise Stitched in Time. She received her BA from Rutgers University in visual art, is an alumna of Philadelphia’s Moore College of Art and Design, and spent many years as a successful freelance fine artist. Colleen calls New Jersey her home and resides there with her family. To learn more, and to watch a tutorial on making an origami paper crane, visit www.colleenrowankosinski.com.

Facebook: Colleen Rowan Rosinski

Twitter: @ColleenKosinski

Instagram: @colleenkosinski


Sonia Sánchez is the illustrator of a number of picture books, including Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina, A Crazy-Much Love by Joy Jordan-Lake, and The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier. Her books have been nominated for the Eisner Award and named a CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a Bank Street College Best Book of the Year. She lives with her husband, her kids, and a sleepyhead cat in Barcelona, Spain.

Instagram: @soniasillustration

REVIEW

After making a paper crane with his grandmother, the boy keeps the crane on his bedside table where its the first thing he sees when he wakes up and the last think he sees when he goes to sleep. The paper crane follows the boy through the ups and downs of his life; the loss of a loved one, growing up, and even getting engaged.  At times the paper crane gets dusty and feels forgotten, but it never is, and when the boy becomes a father himself, the crane continues to play an important role in the family's life.  Like many live toy stories this one is all about the life given to the toy through love. It's amazing how attached humans can get to objects that have emotional significance and memories connected to them.  Those attachments are beautifully explored in this tale of a boy and his paper crane.  At first the crane just considers itself an orange and blue piece of paper only to realize later that the boy's love has made it much more.  Sanchez's lovely digital illustrations highlight the role of the paper crane in helping the boy face the difficulties and joys of life. A lovely reminder of the value of love and connection and making memories.

SAMPLE ILLUSTRATIONS




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