I Wish You More

February 23, 2015
In what is essentially a string of secular blessings, an unseen parent/caretaker expresses its hopes for a child's future. Building her stanzas around the idea of "more," Rosenthal (who has teamed with Lichtenheld on Duck! Rabbit! and other bestselling titles) invokes rhymes, wordplay, and relatable metaphors, keeping the tone hopeful and upbeat; Lichtenheld follows suit, presenting a multiethnic cadre of smiling, curious, and hardworking children. "I wish you more ups than downs," Rosenthal begins, as two children race across a windswept green field, a tiny red kite trailing overhead. For "I wish you more will than hill," Lichtenheld shows a boy sweating under the exertion of toting a to-be-planted sapling uphill, and for "I wish you more can than knot," a girl's dog stares intently as she attempts to tie her shoes. After a dozen or so of these statements, Rosenthal concludes with a line that's certain to reassure children that they are loved: "I wish all of this for you, because you are everything I could wish for... and more." Ages 5â8. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency.

March 1, 2015
A collection of parental wishes for a child.It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line "I wish you more ups than downs." But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line "I wish you more tippy-toes than deep" accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: "I wish you more treasures than pockets." Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as "more can than knot" and "more pause than fast-forward," will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic. Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)

June 1, 2015

PreS-The renowned duo who created Duck! Rabbit! (2009) and Wumbers (2012, both Chronicle), has teamed up again to present a compendium of pleasant images and cleverly stated, feel-good wishes. "I wish you more ups than downs. I wish you more give than take." Each spread features children of various ethnicities and a simple comparative blessing, each beginning with "I wish." Although not as engaging as some of their more notable collaborations, it is still a lovely compilation of positive moments that can be shared by parent and child, and it even offers some interesting wordplay in the simple text ("I wish you more can than knot" as a little girl tries to tie her shoes with her tongue sticking out in concentration). VERDICT While not an essential purchase, it is one title that most libraries will wish to have on their shelves.-Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Preschool-G Known for their clever collaborations like Duck! Rabbit! (2009)who knew bunny ears and water fowl bills could have so much in common?and Wumbers (2012), Rosenthal and Lichtenheld have come up with another book full of unique perspectives. This paean to wishes includes such charmers as, I wish you more tippy-toes than deep, illustrated with a picture of a boy whose grin just barely breaks the surface of a pool's aquamarine depths. A cheery yellow atmosphere embraces two girls holding each other next to the hope, I wish you more hugs than ughs, while another vignette features a girl flying across the page, pulled by the leash of an exuberant dog, to the accompaniment of, I wish you more woo-hoo! than whoa! Primarily colored in blues, greens, and sunshine and inhabited by children representing a multiracial spectrum, this makes a nice end-of-year offering to graduates of all ages and grades, from preschool to grad school. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This uberpopular, best-selling duo have a solid reputation in the picture-book world. Expect demand to be high.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
"I wish you more hugs than ughs." "I wish you more bubbles than bath." Fourteen wishes, each illustrated with a gently funny-cute scene featuring one or more children, conclude with "I wish all of this for you, / because you are everything I could wish for... / and more." Rosenthal's originality manages to keep the heart-tugging out of greeting-card territory.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)