The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

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The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol
Review Copy from MacmillanKids
The Little Guys begins with a bit of braggadocio from the strongest guys in the forest, "We are the Little Guys. Yes, we are small. But there are a lot of us. Together we are strong, and we can get all we need." As they head off their tiny island to get food for all of them, "a piece of cake for the Little Guys," listing their many skills, the illustrations show them shaking things up as they take food from their neighbors, shouting, "Nothing stops the Little Guys!" They even boast about being able to take on a bear!
A fantastic centerfold that calls for a 90 degree turn shows the Little Guys back on their island, triumphant atop a pile of pilfered food. A final grab for the berry in the beak of a baby bird proves catastrophic, sending the Little Guys - and their ill-gotten gains, adrift.
 As the story comes to a close, the creatures of the forest rescuing the Little Guys, their opening salvo becomes a meaningful moment of reflection; "We are the Little Guys. Yes, there are a lot of us. But we are small. We have all we need, and together we are strong." Illustrations show the Little Guys working together to return the food they took from their neighbors and Brosgol beautifully shifts her story from one of teamwork to community. The characters of the Little Guys are charming, in spite of their initial big-headedness. It's hard not to love these Little Guys - and not surprising that Brosgol (who is so creative and multi-talented) has created 3D versions of them, bringing them off the page and into the window for a display at Green Bean Books in her hometown of Portland, OR! Images are from Brosgol's Instagram feed.

Titles are links to my reviews of Brosgol's other books!
Be Prepared

LEAVE ME ALONE!

Anya's Ghost

Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian, written by Jacob Sager Weinstein





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