Big by Vashti Harrison
Harrison, V. (2023). Big. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316353229
Big is a story about a young Black girl who is told she is "so big," which she learns is a good thing until it isn't. The young girl learns that words can hurt, but it is up to her to decide if she will let them affect her.
Big is a powerful story for all readers, especially the younger ones who barely learn who they are and whose opinions they care about. Initially, the young girl first associated being "big" with being a good thing because that is what she was told. Being praised at a young age is something younger children soak up, so being told they are "big" is an achievement in their eyes when they want to please the people they care about. Eventually, though, being "big" is not always seen as a good thing, and as the young girl finds out, words CAN hurt. The negative connotation of the word "big" emotionally affects the young main character as her ballerina outfit transitions from a bright and colorful pink to a sad and sorrowful gray. Even when the main character is crying, all the negative words are written in gray to give the reader a visual example of how those words affected the character, and the happier and kinder words are in pink to help the readers visualize the main character being happier. At the end of the book, the main character learns that she does not have to listen to the negative words she is being told, and instead, she stands up for herself and lets others know that their words can hurt! She began her first lesson of self-love and self-acceptance by standing up for herself.
The main character of Big is a young Black girl, and the author, at the end of the book, recounts her memories of being a younger Black girl who was also seen as "big." Big came from an experience that Vashti Harrison experienced, and while the main character is a young Black girl, feeling out of place or "too big" is universal to all cultures. Big is an important book to read to all kids because even while they may not be "big" themselves, they can still learn how their words can affect others.
What do readers think of Big? Monique Harris from The Horn Book says Big "offers readers an opportunity to remember that we all deserve love and respect - no matter what size we are." If you enjoyed reading Big, some other books for a younger audience with an important message are Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer and Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry. After reading Big, I highly encourage you to talk to your young reader (or reflect on yourself) about the main character's feelings and if you or they have ever felt the same way she has. If you/they have, talk about what made them feel that way and how to brainstorm ideas on what could be done so they could avoid feeling that way again. After, discuss some "BIG" dreams and how they plan to achieve them!
Some of the Awards and Honors for Big:
- A Caldecott Medal Winner
- Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor Book
- New York Times Bestseller and Best Children's Book of the Year
- National Booklist Award Finalist
References
Big. Vashti Harrison. (n.d.). https://vashtiharrison.com/about-2
Harris, M. (2023, July 17). Review of Big. The Horn Book. https://www.hbook.com/story/review-of-big
Harrison, V. (2023). Big. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316353229
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