Review - One More Time

One More Time
by Nancy Loewen
illustrated by Hazel Michelle Quintanilla
Date: 2019
Publisher: words & pictures
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 22
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Whee! Whoa! Whoops! Ready to try again? One More Time introduces and develops the idea of perseverance for children aged 1–3.

A boy gets a beautiful, blue scooter for his birthday. At first he falls, but after about “a bazillion” tries, he learns the benefits of perseverance.

With simple stories and engaging illustrations, the Bright Start series of board books opens conversations about emotions and mental well-being, providing you with the tools and language needed to develop and nurture emotional intelligence in your child. Bright Start responds to recent research showing that emotional development begins in infancy, when children first bond with their caregivers. Early development of emotional intelligence helps children to form healthy and long-lasting relationships, builds the foundations for stable mental health and lays the groundwork for academic achievement. Give your child a Bright Start for a healthier and happier life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a book for very young children about perseverance. As an adult, I found it a little bit boring, but I can see its value for teaching about the concept of never giving up. It might be a good book to bring out when a child is having trouble doing something and wants to give up. Then they can see how the child in the story keeps practicing until they're able to ride their scooter without falling off.

The grandfather makes a good point in the story about how the child used to be unable to tie their shoelaces. But they eventually learned because they didn't give up. The same thing will apply to riding the scooter (or to any activity). The book even shows the child feeling pride for finally accomplishing their goal.

The illustrations here are kind of simple, and a little bit boring. But they do the job well enough.

This isn't a picture book that's going to have broad appeal (it isn't one of those ones that'll keep adults entertained, for example), but for its intended toddler audience, it will probably work quite well.

Thank you to NetGalley and words & pictures for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.17 out of 5