The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page

In this meta-fable about conformity and self-worth, actor Davis, making her children’s book debut, introduces Sheila, a pale-skinned child who literally grows up in a book, living a conventionally adorable life within its pages. After a summer away from the foreground, the now-fourth-grader returns to discover that she’s outgrown the book’s trim size—forcing her to twist and contort to fit the pages. But a good friend’s counsel helps Sheila realize that “people are valuable and special no matter what’s different about them,” and that she can take up the space she needs—a final spread shows Sheila triumphantly extending her body to its full height. Touching lightly on matters of representation, it’s a straightforward arc whose delicate ink lines and washes make each scratchy single-plane drawing feel like a shared glimpse into a cherished personal sketchbook. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)