That’s (Not) Mine is instant fun for all (ages)

Some books that we read take a moment for their cuteness to be realized. Other books are immediately catchy, ones that can be read on many levels and have artwork that adds to the experience. That’s (Not) Mine is easily in the second category.  This second book from Anna Kang with illustrations by Christopher Weyant features the same characters from I Am (Not) Small and delivers belly laughs to children 7 and younger.

The large tan bear sits down and begins knitting. The small purple bear say’s, “That’s My Chair”.  They then start to argue about who was sitting down first, the small one brings in another chair to make his friend jealous and they get in a fight where both friends end up on the floor. Once they realize their mistake they agree to go play outside, whereupon their seat is taken by a happy dog wearing a red scarf.

That’s (Not) Mine is a great example of less is more. Some of the illustrations in the book cover two pages while others feature multiple drawings on one page. The art is warm, cartoonish and instantly friendly. This is the art that your child will see and immediately want to read the book and see more of.

The story is the book is one that parents of more than one child will instantly relate to. It’s the classic “it’s mine” argument, played out by two bears, laid bare and silly in a lesson that children will understand and (hopefully) emulate. While reading the book our 6 year old knows that the argument between the two bears is futile and annoying.

However, in the book, combined with the drawings and lettering it is also funny.  He reads the book and laughs when the two bears are arguing. Now, normally an argument is not funny, but the way that the two bears engage in the act it is funny. This is done by mixing up the font size and action in the drawings. Our child knows that this is a silly, fun book that is also a great good night book.

It has vocabulary that’s simple enough for him to read, is repetitive in case he learned a new word and has illustrations to drive the point of the story home. The characters that Weyant and Kang have created are some of our favorites and I’m glad that our children have latched onto them too. Readers of The New Yorker will recognize Weyant from his work in that publication. It’s instantly recognizable, warm and combined with Kangs’s words make for fabulous children’s books.