You Go First
by Ariel Bernstein; illus. by Marc Rosenthal
Preschool, Primary    Wiseman/Simon    48 pp.
6/23    9781665911511    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781665911528    $10.99

A minor drama unfolds when Duck and Cat visit the playground and find a new taller and curvier slide. Duck is excited to try it, but Cat has concerns. Could this slide be “too exciting” or “too fun”? Rather than admit fear, Cat tries to steer Duck toward the familiar swings and sandbox, but Duck keeps gravitating back to that slide. This picture book has all the hallmarks of a beginning reader—limited vocabulary, short sentences, strong visual support of plot, lots of sight words, and ample word repetition—and it can serve just as well for new readers as it can for storytimes. Rosenthal’s pastel-hued, cartoon-style illustrations add warmth, humor, and nuance. Duck’s open facial expressions telegraph excitement, while Cat’s, in contrast, cycle through worry, hope, desperation, and determination. In the end, Cat realizes that good friends don’t deny friends new experiences, and the slide turns out to be enjoyable for everyone. Many books for young children explore conquering fear, but fewer contextualize how one’s fear can dampen someone else’s good time; this book adds something fresh to the shelf.

From the July/August 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.