"This book makes important points about mitigating anxiety in young children" - Kirkus Reviews
"Absolutely super delightful! It is the perfect message "mistakes" to learn at a very young age. Each elementary school class and library should have copies of this amazing book. Having taught elementary, and first grade especially for many years, this is exactly how these young children/students feel. They do think mistakes are bad, but it is very important that they learn mistakes are really the best tickets to their successful future. We learn best through our mistakes. I especially love the manner this book is presented in such a positive, caring and loving way." - ITEEA
"Superb picture book with a story of a girl who learns that making mistakes can lead to good things, augmented by beautiful drawings by illustrator Elaine van Lindenhuizen. Author An Swerts builds this story from a real-life dropped tart by souls chef Taka Kondo that led to a world-renowned dessert but substitutes a young girl who becomes too fearful to try much of anything until she receives good advice from her teacher and her nonna and has her own experience with a dropped tart. An excellent picture book for ages 3-7. " - Hallsville Intermediate School
""Lemon Tart" . . . two delicious words that make all the difference in the world for little Lucy, who is going through a tough time. Her cheerful disposition has changed, practically overnight, to one of worry and doubt.
This story has a wonderful lesson on the importance of self-esteem, and how it affects the day to day living of everyone, especially children. Life isn't always a bowl of sunshine, and this book teaches children that it is okay to make mistakes along the way.
Dare I say it? This book teaches children that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. It takes a sensitive topic like low self-esteem, and shows that it can be overcome with caring and love." - A-PLUS Literature
"Great addition to libraries wanting to provide SEL books for kids and primary teachers, in accessible text with soft pastel illustrations." - LOPL Oregon
"This was such a sweet about a girl named Lucy. She is constantly worrying and this is causing her to not take any chances. Until one mistake teaches her the importance of perseverance!" - Johnston County Schools
"I really enjoyed this book. I requested to review thinking of a little one in my life who doesn't speak to anyone outside of the family. I think this will be great for their baby brain anxiety levels and to illustrate everything will be okay -- and the message of Lemon Tart is absolutely beautiful for anyone suffering from anxiety" - Barnes & Noble bookseller
2020-08-18
Lucy was once a happy and cheerful girl, but shortly after she started school, she often found herself worrying…a lot.
Lucy’s new withdrawn behavior concerns her grandmother. Lucy and Nonna talk to her teacher, who assures Lucy that everyone makes mistakes. Later, Nonna recommends that Lucy help her father, a chef, in the kitchen. With best friend Evan’s help, Lucy becomes quite a good helper. When a food critic comes to her father’s restaurant and a nervous Lucy drops his lemon tart, her father and Evan marvel at the artistic beauty of the broken tart on the miraculously intact plate. (The critic judges it “highly original.”) The illustrations are charming and particularly creative in an early spread in which the children go from standing beside a swimming pool to a page two-thirds the normal size on which Lucy stands, uninterested and apart from the other children, who swim and dive into the pool. Puzzlingly, this clever design does not carry on throughout. Perhaps it’s the translation from the Dutch, but this section reads awkwardly. When the instructor asks, “Who wants to jump off the diving board?” the students cheer, “Yippee!” It’s an odd response and one that children will likely point out. A concluding poem from Nonna to Lucy about making mistakes feels unnecessary. Lucy, Nonna, and Lucy’s father present White; Evan is a child of color.
Though wonky in places, this book makes important points about mitigating anxiety in young children. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)
