www.crackingthecover.com
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • Picture
      • Ages 0-3
      • Ages 2 and up
      • Ages 3 and up
      • Ages 4 and up
      • Ages 5 and up
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 8 and up
      • Author Interviews
      • Bedtime Stories
      • Gift Guide
    • Middle Grade
      • Author Interviews
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 7 and up
      • Ages 8-12
      • Ages 9-12
      • Ages 10 and up
      • Gift Guide
    • YA
      • Author Interviews
      • Reviews
      • Adult Crossover
      • Gift Guide
    • Seasonal
      • Back to School
      • Black History
      • Chinese New Year
      • Christmas
      • Earth Day
      • Easter
      • Fall
      • Father’s Day
      • Mother’s Day
      • Gift Guide
      • Halloween
      • Spring
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Winter
      • Women’s History
    • News
    • Giveaways
    • Events
    • About
      • Review/interview policy
      • About our reviewers
    www.crackingthecover.com

    Korey Watari’s I Am Able to Shine celebrates courage, hope

    0
    By Jessica on April 25, 2022 ages 3 & up, picture books
    I Am Able to ShineI AM ABLE TO SHINE, by Korey Watari and Mike Wu, Two Lions, May 1, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 3-7)

    I Am Able to Shine, by Korey Watari and Mike Wu, follows an Asian American girl as she learns to celebrate her gifts and differences even when others look down on her. Through her determination and positive attitude, she is able to shift people’s behavior and beliefs.

    “I am beautiful.
    I belong here.
    What I do matters.
    I am able to shine.”

    Each night Keiko whispers to her crane, “I wish to change the world.” She is kind, and she has big dreams. But at times she feels invisible; she knows some people misjudge her. Keiko is also loved, so she perseveres and stands strong. Over time, her confidence grows, she shares more of herself, and she helps lift up others ― and eventually lead them. She understands that no matter what, she can shine. —Synopsis provided by Two Lions

    I Am Able to Shine is based on author Korey Watari’s own experiences as an Asian American. Through the book, she wanted kids to see a strong minority woman as a role model. She sees Keiko’s actions as something positive everyone can aspire to.

    Though big goals guide I Am Able to Shine, the text is sparse and accessible. While there are a few “harder” vocabulary words (for example: strength and purpose), they open the door for conversation with a grownup and often are explained through illustration and context within the text. With a suggested age range of 3 (reader will need an adult’s help) to 7 (reader should be fine on their own) there’s a lot of room for exploration.

    In addition to Watari’s fine textual framework, illustrator Mike Wu’s lovely illustrations truly bring Keiko’s story to life. Wu captures emotion and movement throughout, making I Am Able to Shine a dynamic read.

    *At the time of this review, I Am Able to Shine was listed at $6.99 as part of the Amazon First Reads program.


    About the creators:

    Husband-and-wife team Korey Watari and Mike Wu live in the San Francisco Bay Area in California with their two lively daughters. This is their first picture book together. Korey is a sansei, or third generation Japanese American, born and raised in Los Angeles. She played basketball for a Japanese American League, graduated from the University of California Riverside, and studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Korey has worked in the animation and fashion industries for companies such as Disney and the Gap. This is her first picture book. Learn more at www.koreywatari.com or on Twitter at @tinyteru.

     Mike is the author and illustrator of the acclaimed, bestselling Ellie series, the first picture book of which was named one of NPR’s best books of the year. He is also a Pixar artist and has worked on films including The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3, Coco, and Soul. His illustrations have been hailed as “reminiscent of classics like Harry the Dirty Dog and Curious George.” Visit him at www.theartofmikewu.com or on Instagram at @wudog23.

     

    Copyright © 2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Jessica
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Jessica Harrison is the main reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. Prior to creating Cracking the Cover, Jessica worked as the in-house book critic for the Deseret News, a daily newspaper in Salt Lake City. Jessica also worked as a copy editor and general features writer for the paper. Following that, Jessica spent two years with an international company as a social media specialist. She is currently a freelance writer/editor. She is passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices.

    Related Posts

    The Fan Brothers’ Lizzy and the Cloud is exquisite

    Celebrate Earth, universe in Deborah Hopkinson’s Only One

    Mini Review: The Book That Did Not Want to Be Read

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • facebook
    • twitter
    • instagram
    • amazon
    • bloglovin
    • rss
    • mail
    Subscribe by email
    Follow
    Recent Posts
    May 20, 2022

    Lindsay Eager’s Patron Thief of Bread is fantastic middle grade

    May 19, 2022

    Jenna Yoon’s Lia Park and the Missing Jewel is fantastic MG fantasy

    May 18, 2022

    Amanda Panitch’s Gone Dark is suspenseful apocalyptic YA

    May 18, 2022

    Jennifer A. Nielsen’s Lines of Courage takes you to front lines of WWI

    May 17, 2022

    Betty Culley’s Natural Genius of Ants explores grief, forgiveness

    Archives
    Categories
    On Writing

    “The dance with words and the way the hair on the back of my neck raises when it works right is what I live for.”

    —Gary Paulsen

    “I write because I exist. Because I read. Because I breathe.”

    —Lindsay Eager

    “Books are kind of like the sense of smell: inhale one page and memories come rushing back.”

    —Keir Graff

    Cracking the Cover is a website dedicated to picture, middle-grade and young-adult books. It features reviews, author interviews and other items of interest. PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently accepting self published books for review.

    Copyright © 2010-2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

    Reviews Published Professional Reader 2016 NetGalley Challenge 100 Book Reviews

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.