In Meltzer’s illustrated story, a case of sibling rivalry evolves into universal lessons for all children.
Fraternal twins Hunter (a boy) and Harper (a girl) are sent outside by their mother to play together after fighting indoors. In a move typical of young siblings, they band together against their mother: “They decided to build a fort tall enough to keep her out!” While searching for materials to build their fort, Hunter finds “a speckled stone with sparkles that danced in the sunlight.” He uses the stone to count Harper’s freckles, making her mad (“He knew she didn’t like her freckles”). With determination, Harper sets off to find something better than Hunter’s speckled stone. She hopes to discover a stick that can double as a magic wand—one that can take away Hunter’s stone and turn her mother into a frog. Meanwhile, as Hunter lies on his back examining his stone, he drops it on his head. Harper rushes over to check on him, and as she does, he begins counting her freckles again. Harper yells at her brother to stop and wishes that Hunter’s “super-spotty sparkle stone” could erase all her freckles. Surprised, Hunter shares that he actually likes Harper’s freckles and sees beautiful things in her face that are created by her pigmentation. With this new perspective, Harper delightedly realizes her brother is right. Meltzer’s simple story demonstrates how sibling rivalry often occurs out of jealousy. The author conveys a message of positivity, encouraging children to embrace the beauty found in one’s own facial features. Camarra’s mixed-media illustrations feature paper collages layered onto watercolors. While the decision to render Hunter dressed in blue and Harper with pink hair feels stereotypical and a little distracting, the colorful artwork enhances the text nicely, including a bit of whimsy amid the more serious moments.
A worthwhile story that promotes self-acceptance.
(Fiction. 4-8 years old)