Sweet Suzy. Everyone Is Special

by Bosch Joni Bosch, Aiko Graven (Illustrator)

Overview

"Will quietly build self-esteem and appreciation for a multitude of talents." - Kirkus Reviews

Suzy wonders what makes her special. She visits her friends to see what they do, and whether she can do it too.  After quite a trip, she still hasn’t found something special about herself. Thankfully, her friends help her see what’s unique about her, too. 

Join Suzy as she discovers her special talent, and learn fun facts about the animals in the story as you go along! 

A relatable story about searching for oneself and recognizing that we all have special talents, even if we might need help figuring it out.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605378459
Publisher:	Clavis
Publication date:	07/18/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.27(w) x 11.42(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joni Bosch is first and foremost a huge book lover. Ever since she was a child, she has enjoyed sticking her nose in a good book. Apart from that, she’s a teacher in primary education and designs teaching materials for young children with her own company. Joni’s goal is to enrich children’s worlds by offering them appropriate books and increasing their enjoyment of reading. That’s why she pays a lot of attention to the importance of children’s books and reading promotion in her classroom.

Aiko Graven is a Dutch freelance illustrator. She graduated as a 2D animator and graphic designer. Children’s books have brought her to where she is today. Thanks to the many pictures and stories, Aiko became inspired to find her own path in the creative world. It’s a dream come true for her to be able to illustrate children’s books herself and pass the magic she used to see on to the children of today through her illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

"Suzy can’t paint or sing, but her friends help her recognize her special talents. Suzy, a white duckling with a red scarf and orange bill and webbed feet, is discouraged. She doesn’t seem to have any abilities that set her apart. But she isn’t ready to despair. Instead, she visits her friends to see what makes them special. Monkey is painting. Congenial Capybara is lying in the grass with his friends (“I like being around people”). Rat is sitting on a log, laughing at his own jokes. Signposts scattered throughout offer real-life animal facts—"capybaras are superkind to everybody,” and "some rats start laughing when their tummy is tickled.” Suzy easily recognizes her friends’ talents, but upon returning home, she still can’t identify her own strengths. Luckily, her friends join her and explain the skills they’ve noticed her displaying during her visits—she’s a great listener, and she’s very determined, for instance. Suzy learns that she is indeed special, and she is no longer sad. The story itself is a bit on the didactic side, but the fun facts make it less so. The last line—“What’s your special talent?”—is a great discussion prompt for little ones. Will quietly build self-esteem and appreciation for a multitude of talents." - Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2023-06-08
Suzy can’t paint or sing, but her friends help her recognize her special talents.

Suzy, a white duckling with a red scarf and orange bill and webbed feet, is discouraged. She doesn’t seem to have any abilities that set her apart. But she isn’t ready to despair. Instead, she visits her friends to see what makes them special. Monkey is painting. Congenial Capybara is lying in the grass with his friends (“I like being around people”). Rat is sitting on a log, laughing at his own jokes. Signposts scattered throughout offer real-life animal facts—"capybaras are superkind to everybody,” and "some rats start laughing when their tummy is tickled.” Suzy easily recognizes her friends’ talents, but upon returning home, she still can’t identify her own strengths. Luckily, her friends join her and explain the skills they’ve noticed her displaying during her visits—she’s a great listener, and she’s very determined, for instance. Suzy learns that she is indeed special, and she is no longer sad. The story itself is a bit on the didactic side, but the fun facts make it less so. The last line—“What’s your special talent?”—is a great discussion prompt for little ones. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Will quietly build self-esteem and appreciation for a multitude of talents. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews