Are You Big?

Willems (Opposites Abstract) takes the idea of relative size and pursues it all the way out into the universe in this conceptual title. "Are you big?" a narrating voice asks via bold, blocky text that occupies the book's verso pages throughout. On the adjacent recto, a lilac-faced human figure stands expectantly on stick arms and legs. A page turn later, a bespectacled red balloon appears: "A hot air balloon is big." The now-smaller-seeming stick figure peers up at it. Next, a cutout cloud strides onstage atop long legs, dwarfing the hot air balloon and the figure: "A cloud is big." As the pattern continues ("A storm is big"), balloon and cloud shrink comparatively, and the stick figure is reduced to the size of a pencil eraser. Then Australia shows up, shrinking the stick figure to the size of a pencil point. As larger--and more galactic--entities arrive, the line of dwarfed objects grows longer, until a late entrant hints at the possibility of a parallel series of objects growing smaller and smaller. Size depends entirely on context, Willems hints in this spare, sprightly thought experiment, whose back matter compares all of the objects included at scale. Ages 3-5. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (Feb.)

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Praise for Are You Big?

"The illustration style, with the look of dimensional paper collage, represents a different direction for Willems, but his sense of fun is as strong as ever . . . . Just when children may feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the world around them, a closing twist turns the comparison around. Make a (little) space for another winner from Willems."—Booklist

"Size depends entirely on context, Willems hints in this spare, sprightly thought experiment."—Publishers Weekly STARRED Review

"[A] rare combination of scientific backing, read-aloud humor, and a concrete message about where one stands in the grand scheme of things...Vast charm in a (relatively) small package yields big laughs."—Kirkus STARRED Review

"[A] pleaser for younger readers and listeners who are feeling small; for those who might wonder just how much larger the Moon is than Australia, or for that matter, a galaxy cluster than an average kid (a lot of zeroes in that one) . . . . A big idea, explored inventively, to intrigue any young audience."—School Library Journal

Praise for The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!

"Willems' spare illustrations put the spotlight right where it belongs, on the Pigeon's incredibly expressive body language, flapping and flopping through the comic panels. The Pigeon is one multifaceted bird, and this latest is one of the best in Willems' flock of Pigeon adventures." —Booklist, starred review

"Roller-coaster enthusiasts or not, children will eagerly join our intrepid hero on this entertaining ride." —Kirkus Review

"Whether you opt to dive into the entire series or just have a 'smidgeon of pigeon' with the newest title, Mo Willems never disappoints." —SheKnows