Little You

Little You is a happy little board book that celebrates the uniqueness of very young children. This book was illustrated using pencil, watercolor, gouache, collage, and digital manipulation, and features a Metis family exploring the world around them. The illustrations are culturally accurate, without being stereotypical. All but two of the pages have illustrations of a sun or moon, a common find in most of Flett’s illustrations. The simple text stands out on the white verso pages, and the vivid illustrations on the recto pages add significant additional meaning to the story. The illustration for “Let’s all dance let’s all sing” shows a mother dancing with her child. The woman has a hole in her sock, but she and baby are still very happy. The lines of the fabric used to portray her dress give the illusion of movement. Even the dog seems to be dancing, with his forepaws in the air.

The image for “You are life and breath adored” shows the father and child in a canoe, watching a school of fish swim by. Their hair is being swept to the side by an invisible wind, and the water splashes against the boat.The illustrations are simple, yet full of detail.

Van Camp, R., & Flett, J. (2013). Little you. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.