THIS SMALL BLUE DOT

A child’s heartfelt welcome to a new baby.

The text is written in the second person, with accompanying illustrations depicting the speaker as a small child addressing a new baby: “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.” The voice comes across as that of an adult, however, or perhaps like an adult’s impression of a precocious child. While that tone detracts from the picture book’s overall success, the sentiments are true, and the art eminently engaging. Realistic, black-and-white pencil drawings of the children (who have pale skin) contrast with vivid, crayoned details and backgrounds rendered in a naïve style. The effect evokes senses of discovery and fantasy that reinforce the wonder in the child’s words to the baby. Toward the end of the book, the narrator reveals that, “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,” perhaps inspiring the children listening to the story to align themselves with the baby even as the words are delivered from an ostensible peer.

Uneven in its delivery of a moving and beautifully illustrated message but still worth a peek.