This Book is Yours!

By Shutta Crum, Illustrated by Patrice Barton
Alfred A. Knopf, $6.99, 28 pages

If you have ever been around small children playing with toys, it is likely that you have heard this phrase – “Mine!” Kids usually have a favorite toy. When a playmate shows any interest in another toy on the floor, that item suddenly becomes the new favorite toy and a tug-of-war ensues. In Mine!, Shutta Crum presents the story of two young kids as they navigate the drama of sharing toys. Little readers will follow along as the book’s two toddlers physically act out the drama taking place over a pile of toys and a dog. A delightful twist at the end will have everyone smiling with warmth in their hearts. This board book is sturdy and well made. It will definitely stand up to those tug-of-war moments between curious kids. Mine! is a picture-based book with only one word (mine) but a huge story is contained within Patrice Barton’s magnificent illustrations. Beginning readers will enjoy having their parents, grandparents or older siblings add their own narrative. What a beautiful message about kindness and sharing this nearly wordless book conveys.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Franklin

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