Give
by Jen Arena; illus. by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Preschool, Primary    Knopf    40 pp.
8/23    9781524714994    $18.99
Library ed.  9781524714482    $21.99
e-book ed.  9781524714499    $10.99

This story begins on the title page, where a gift-wrapped package sits on a white background. The following wordless double-page spread shows an outdoor street scene, where an adult hands the package to a child while a second child passes by. The two kids meet up on this rainy morning when one loses her hair ribbon to the wind, and the other unties the gift’s ribbon and offers it to her. “Sometimes bad things happen. / Give what you have.” This act of kindness is the first link in a chain of events throughout the school day. Each double-page spread advances the story, showing the previous recipient engaged in an act of generosity. The spare text clarifies that there are many kinds of gifts to give, including help, time, and attention. And that one wrapped up on the title page? It’s a box of cupcakes, a gift for everyone. Bell’s (illustrator of To Change a Planet) eye-pleasing textured illustrations feature a diverse classroom and bring liveliness to a story that works nondidactically to instill values of kindness and generosity.

From the September/October 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.