A Little Courage

by Taltal Levi

Overview

Through the eyes of a child, the world is full of adventure!

A teacup-sized little girl discovers a playground in a potted plant, and the perfect swimming pool in a glass of water. Then when she sees a mysterious shadow lurking beyond her books and paper clips, she must summon her courage. But wait! Could this fluffy, purring creature be a friend?

Taltal Levi’s evocative text and illustrations tell an inventive story about courage, imagination, and friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735843943
Publisher:	NorthSouth Books
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	960,866
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Taltal Levi was born in the Galilee, Israel. She graduated from Lucerne University of Arts and Design with a degree in illustration fiction and has worked as a freelance illustrator since. In 2019 she was nominated for the Serafina Young Talent Award with her picture book debut A Little Courage. Taltal Levi works and lives in Basel, Switzerland.

Editorial Reviews

12/02/2019

In a story reminiscent of The Borrowers, a diminutive girl finds endless opportunities for play in a house that towers around her. Comfortable with her surroundings, she watches the sunrise atop a large leaf, runs on a roll of toilet paper, collects “little treasures” in a shallow lid, and takes cooling dips in a water glass “on the warmer days.” She has rule over her tiny kingdom... until an ominous shadow appears. “Must I hide now forever?” she wonders, wide-eyed under a bookcase. The tiny adventurer plucks up, however, “with a little courage”—and the fearsome shadow turns out to be a friendly cat. After establishing trust, they become inseparable friends, together moving through daily rituals. Detailed illustrations in colored-pencil textures bring readers down to size, pulling them into the girl’s pastel-hued, wonder-filled world as it expands, through her bravery, to embrace a life beyond solitude. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

The joyful pencil illustrations are colored mainly by pleasant yellows and greens, giving a springy exuberance to the shenanigans on display, and the partnership between the protagonist and the cat is all love, fueled by fun. Young listeners will delight in the miniature perspective, while adult readers may feel the bittersweet tug of childhood nostalgia.

Booklist

This imaginative exploration of scale and perspective should serve as a popular storytime selection.

The Horn Book

The joyful pencil illustrations are colored mainly by pleasant yellows and greens, giving a springy exuberance to the shenanigans on display, and the partnership between the protagonist and the cat is all love, fueled by fun. Young listeners will delight in the miniature perspective, while adult readers may feel the bittersweet tug of childhood nostalgia.

Booklist

12/01/2019

PreS-Gr 1—A tiny person lives in a regular human-sized world. Exploring houseplants, rolling on a tube of toilet paper, and swimming in a glass of water are among her daily activities. One day she discovers that she is being followed by a dark and scary shadow. At first she hides, but she knows she cannot hide forever. She arms herself with a thimble on her head and brandishes a push pin as a sword to investigate the shadow. She confronts it; it purrs back at her. She and the cat become best friends, adventuring around the house together. Pencil and charcoal drawings, accented with a select few monochrome colors, create a feeling of nostalgia for vintage picture books. One concise sentence per two-page spread immerses readers in the big world theme and maintains a good storytelling pace. Children may sympathize with being small in a world where everything is large, potentially scary, but also full of adventure. The overarching theme of bravely confronting your fears is a good reminder for all ages. VERDICT A fun look at perspective, perfect for storytime sharing.—Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

School Library Journal

2019-10-23
A miniature child explores an apartment and makes friends with a cat.

First-person narration, generally limited to one or two sentences per double-page spread, describes the child's investigation of potted plants, various small objects, and familiar household areas. Contrasts between the straightforward text, which has a slightly formal tone, and the lighthearted action depicted in the illustrations provide humor, which helps mitigate the book's plotless feel. The last few pages repeat the text from the first section with small variations as the child enjoys activities with the (initially feared, now accepted) cat as companion. Small enough to dance on a roll of toilet paper, the wide-eyed, apparently white child wears a yellow shirt, black shorts, and a thimble as a hat. Some of the items will be familiar to young listeners: paper clips, keys, a safety pin; others, like the thimble, might be more obscure. Background details suggest that the apartment's occupants are two adults and a child, obliquely raising the possibility that the small-scale adventures depicted are imaginary. The artwork has the appearance of colored-pencil drawings and features a somewhat muted palette with splashes of red, yellow, and green to enliven the pages. Levi makes the most of texture, size, and perspective to create interest. Observant readers will see the cat before it's mentioned and may enjoy spotting the insect and arachnid that appear throughout.

This Swiss import is mildly amusing, but even a final twist fails to generate much excitement. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews