Big Enough

Poised as an origin story based on Linke’s fable for adults, The Oxherd Boy, this quiet meditation traces the simple narrative of a child overcoming doubt. A folkloric cadence kicks things off: “There once was a boy named Ah-Fu, who was so small he often got lost, especially in his own imagination.” In an apparent daydream, the East Asian–cued child captains a tiny sailboat aided by an insect crew, until his grandfather interrupts with a request to bring the ox home from a field. Worried he’s too small to wrangle the big animal, and receiving repeated and accumulating warnings about how to handle the task (“Don’t try to lead him by the horns,” suggest a flock of swallows, “you’re not big enough”), Ah-Fu travels into the hills. But when he meets the big, soft-furred ox—even more reticent than Ah-Fu—the boy finds courage to navigate in his own way. Digitally rendered illustrations employ traditional Chinese gongbi and xieyi techniques to render a lushly serene pastoral setting. It’s an organically empowering story of self-determination that exudes a gentle playfulness. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)