Bijan Always Wins

by Adib Khorram, Michelle Tran (Illustrator)

Overview

From Award-winning author Adib Khorram comes a unique picture book about what you risk losing when all you care about is winning.

Winning is Bijan's favorite thing. And Bijan always wins. But after declaring himself the winner of drawing and dinosaurs and even of lunch, Bijan notices that his friends aren't so keen to play with him. Could it be that some things, like friendship, can't be won?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593325308
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/09/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	106,350
Product dimensions:	8.81(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.37(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Adib Khorram lives in Kansas City, Missouri. When he isn't writing, you can probably find him trying to get his hundred-yard freestyle under a minute, learning to do a Lutz jump, or steeping a cup of oolong. His debut novel, Darius the Great Is Not Okay, earned several awards, including the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. He is also the author of Darius the Great Deserves Better, Kiss and Tell, and the picture book Seven Special Somethings: A Nowruz Story.

Michelle Tran is an illustrator and designer based in Dallas, Texas. She spent her childhood summers having water balloon fights, playing with bugs, and biking around her neighborhood until the sun set. She is a graduate of UT Austin, and after many years working in online advertising, she now spends her days illustrating and dreaming up magical worlds. In her free time, Michelle loves taking walks with her two kids, crafting, baking chocolate chip cookies, and watering her desert roses. She dreams of mushroom foraging in Copenhagen one day.

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2024

“Bijan always won. That was his favorite thing.” When he draws a bird and shows it to classmate Miki, he says, “Look at this bird! I win!” Miki responds, “You can’t win at drawing birds, Bijan.” When he later announces that he’s won at playing dinosaurs, his friends ask, “How do you win at dinosaurs?” Bijan says, “I always win!” Digital artwork by Tran, making her picture book debut, gives Bijan and his peers clear, penetrating eyes, while textured lines, a palette of muted tertiary shades, and quirky lettering offer the world around Bijan a distinctive, low-tech look. In a fantasy sequence, Bijan roars like a dragon (“I win!”), then dives beneath the waves, where suddenly no one can hear him boast. When kids start to avoid Bijan, and he realizes that he’d like to pivot, the turnaround happens with gratifying rapidity (“You can’t win at sharing pencils,” he notes modestly). This dynamic socio-emotional story by Khorram (Seven Special Somethings) examines responses to interpersonal challenges, as well as ways to both draw boundaries and welcome back someone who’s trying to make changes. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Molly O’Neill, Root Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

This dynamic socio-emotional story by Khorram examines responses to interpersonal challenges, as well as ways to both draw boundaries and welcome back someone who’s trying to make changes.” – PW
 
“Khorram’s simple, expressive text uses fantastical elements to elevate a familiar story of social-emotional growth to a thoughtful parable that will leave readers mulling what it means to be a true friend….An inspired tale that puts a clever spin on a well-trod message of friendship and generosity of spirit.” – Kirkus

"In this delightful picture book, a young boy discovers that winning is not always the most important thing...children will find themselves learning from Bijan and enjoying his story at the same time.” – School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2024

PreS-Gr 3—In this delightful picture book, a young boy discovers that winning is not always the most important thing. Bijan spends his time in a constant competition— with friends, family, and even himself—trying to "win" at mundane activities, such as brushing his teeth. While those around him do not appreciate this trait, Bijan continuously strives to be the winner at anything he does, from drawing to lunch. When he is ostracized, he becomes more interested in connecting with others rather than winning everything. It's very difficult to successfully make a character as annoying and determined as Bijan be one whom readers will be cheering for. Khorram succeeds by making the actions outsized but relatable. Tran's artistic style is well implemented here with her subtle shading, comedic timing, and use of simple colors a perfect match for Khorram's words. VERDICT In this excellent addition to SEL shelves, children will find themselves learning from Bijan and enjoying his story at the same time.—Maria Graybosch

School Library Journal