Hello World!

by Kelly Corrigan, Stacy Ebert (Illustrator)

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan comes a book that celebrates the people in our lives and the meaningful connections we make that come from asking each other questions.

Hello World! is the perfect reminder that the journeys we take through life are all about the people we will meet along the way—people who will make us smarter, stronger, and more amazing than we ever thought possible. With her trademark inspirational wisdom, Kelly Corrigan writes the perfect book for anyone about to embark on a new adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593206065
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/20/2021
Pages:	44
Sales rank:	249,920
Product dimensions:	10.60(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Kelly Corrigan has been called "the voice of her generation" by O, The Oprah Magazine and "the poet laureate of the ordinary" by The Huffington Post. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tell Me More, The Middle Place, Lift, and Glitter and Glue. Her podcast Kelly Corrigan Wonders and her PBS Show Tell Me More keep her busy enough to occasionally forget she is about to be an empty nester. She lives near Oakland, California. Hello World! is her first—but not her last—book for children.

Stacy Ebert Makes her debut picture book as the illustrator of Hello World! She is also the illustrator of the middle grade book How to Build a Story... or, the Big What If, written by Frances O'Roark Dowell. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three sons, tinkering with words and drawing funny pictures. Find out more about Stacy at www.stacyebert.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/19/2021

What awaits a young person moving on and out into the world? Echoing Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Corrigan offers the upbeat promise: “Oh the people you will know!” Bouncy, alliterative text haphazardly highlights some individuals that one may encounter, including “People with braids. People with burkas... People in blue jeans. People with black belts,” and many others. Since “there’s more to everyone than you think,” muses Corrigan, asking people questions yields precious fruit: “That’s how you’ll find out that the butterfly-chaser/ knows how to swim backstroke.” Newcomer Ebert delivers brightly colored artwork with a sweet-natured comic zip—highlights include a page of variously emotive, dot-eyed faces of varied ages and skin tones. A peppy encouragement to connect with, and be curious about, others. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

05/01/2021

Gr 2–4—A young girl, who is biracial, and her dog set out into the world with a scooter and a smile. It is unclear where they are going, only that it is the beginning of a journey. The world is full of exciting things and friendly people, but also populated with bullies and boredom. However, our protagonist remains eternally optimistic, chatting with everyone she meets and learning about their hopes and dreams. Ebert's illustrations are vibrant but gentle. Some characters are shown with grotesquely exaggerated expressions, but for the most part people look generally content and peaceful. Characters are depicted as being of various ages and with a range of skin tones. Corrigan's quirky text features numerous key words that begin with B: People wear beards and braids and buns and burkas. They burp, bobsled, and backstroke. All the businesses begin with B: banks, bowling alleys, bakeries, burger shops, and beauty salons. The book implores readers to start conversations with people, a hopeful and inspiring message for building community. VERDICT The abstract nature of the narrative allows this title to apply to many situations: going to a new school, moving to a new town, or even reentering the world after a long quarantine. A recommended purchase.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

School Library Journal

2021-03-02
Cultivate interest not simply in the world, but also in the people who inhabit it.

Behind the facade of yet another picture book to hand to graduates lies a title with grander ambitions. A kid scooters off into the world to text that relates the wonders to come. Using the letter B (for no apparent reason) as a touchstone, the text catalogs everything from bobsledding to boredom. This is all well and good, but the true treasures come when one realizes, “There’s more to everyone than you think.” Readers are encouraged not merely to look and draw assumptions, but to ask people questions to learn more. Characters introduced early appear later with some context. A bicycling ballerina “misses her grandpa Benny,” and “the bully was bullied” (a sign held by a disembodied hand reads, “That’s how he learned to do it”). Even the endpapers get into the act, featuring balloons that sport questions like “What makes someone smart?” and “What’s the best gift you ever got?” This emphasis on humanity separates this title from books that offer empty aphorisms about getting through life. Meanwhile, the cheery art displays a Seussian sensibility but populates its hopeful world with lots of different kinds of people. The brown-skinned protagonist appears to be biracial, with a White-presenting mom and darker-brown-skinned dad who bid their offspring farewell on the first page. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-20.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 26% of actual size.)

Less Oh, the Places You’ll Go and more “Oh, the people you will know.” (Picture books. 4-18)

Kirkus Reviews