Can I Sit With you
Author & Illustrator: Sarah Jacoby
Chronicle Books
Ages 4-8
This one is a bit of a tough call.
In this moving tale of unconditional love, a girl and a stray dog find each other and go through all the moving moments one would expect in a “growing-up” story. The language is lyrical, poetic, and almost lullaby-like. The illustrations are strong, somewhere between rough and precise, evocative of sophisticated crayon drawings, but with much polish. They are delightful.
Why is this a hard call? It’s a picturebook that is much easier to interpret by adults than it is by the target audience. While this can be a great thing in the hands of the right adult, as a simple read-aloud, it is disastrous. This book is sophisticated, filled with empathy, and written on many levels. If you are not prepared to engage in serious support while reading this book to a classroom of young learners, or with your own child to elicit understanding, then this book is not for you.
If, however, you’re looking for a story that can open many doors of discussion (some easy to walk through, some not), then you’ve found a solid read.
Can I Sit With You (Support an Independent Bookstore)*
Can I Sit With You (Amazon)*
My thanks to Chronicle Books for providing a Review Copy of this book. All opinions provided herein are my own.
More books for this Age Group can be found here.
Please, leave comments! I love a HEALTHY exchange of ideas. After all, critical thinking is essential to life.
*When something is purchased using one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission. We do not accept any monies for any editorial reviews. Our opinions, to the chagrin of many, are our own.