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Thursday 15 October 2020

Review: This Small Blue Dot

Welcome to Earth. 

There’s a lot of strange stuff going on out there, but here are some of the things I’ve worked out so far.

A young girl sits with her new baby sibling and discloses the secrets of the world she has so far uncovered. 

She speaks of the universe and planets, animals, growing up and how to have fun. 

She explains that sometimes things don’t go right, but things are always changing. 

She reveals the best Italian desserts, the best Chinese deserts and the best Indian desserts. 

She talks about where beauty lives, deep, deep inside the heart. And she talks about ancestors and explorers and dreamers crossing lands and seas.

You are the very newest in this long line of people. 

A new explorer.

A new dreamer. 

A new caretaker of this small blue dot.

This Small Blue Dot is a beautiful picture book filled with beautiful messages for every new soul. A stunning intro to the world through the eyes of a child, it’s about love and family and the simplicity of life that’s there to be seized. 

It’s a celebration of our world and a treasure of life lessons for every new member of a family.

Author and artist Zeno Sworder brings delight and tingles with this one. With photographic style illustrations of the young protagonist, surrounded by bright and funky crayon style details, it’s unique and engaging. 

To me, it’s the visual representation of a child interacting with their thoughts, imagination and memories. And I find it glorious. 

Sworder says in the back of the book that the story is built from the knowledge and wisdom of childhood friends and family members, and you really do feel that come through on the pages. There is culture and history infused into the story, but through the eyes of a child it has its own lens of truth, which is what gives this book such loving power. 

This Small Blue Dot is a step inside the secret world of siblings. The whispers at night after you turn off the light. The special games only siblings know how to play. 

Love, love, love this one. It would make a perfect gift for all newborns entering the world. And if you’d like your heart to melt just a little bit more, don’t forget to check out the end papers.

Title: This Small Blue Dot
Author/Illustrator: Zeno Sworder
Publisher: Thames and Hudson, $24.99 
Publication Date: 25 August 2020
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781760761110
For ages: 3 - 6 
Type: Picture Book