One Small Thing by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Laura Watkins

One Small Thing by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Laura Watkins. Beaming Books, 2023. 9781506483771

Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover picture book

What did you like about the book?  After lightning struck his home, Raccoon’s neighbors in Brightly Wood gather to talk about what happened and wonder about his well-being.  Beaver is concerned about where Raccoon will live; the others are hopeful that someone will be able to help.  Badger is particularly interested in the whereabouts of Raccoon’s pet cricket.  The animals disperse, but Beaver is still preoccupied with a new home for Raccoon. She realizes that she has the natural ability to solve this problem, and sets to work.  Meanwhile Badger wanders deep into the dark part of the woods (“it wasn’t brightly at all”), looking for the cricket.  As the rest settle in their comfortable homes, each of them discovers that they can do one small thing to help Raccoon: Squirrel can brew him a nice pot of tea, Mouse can make an herbal balm for his burns, and Rabbit has snacks to spare.  When Beaver brings Raccoon to his cozy new log cabin, the others arrive with their treats, and soon enough even Badger shows up with his own surprise.  The neighbors – now friends – share tea and bread, “and suddenly, all their small things didn’t seem small at all.”

Straight-forward phrasing and cute, cozy illustrations make this simple and sweet allegory stand out. Readers will certainly take to heart the reminder that little things mean a lot, especially for someone in trauma or suffering a loss. The message may not be subtle, but it is gently delivered in a non-didactic way.  A read-aloud or lap-share of One Small Thing will likely engender important conversations with young people about the attitudes of the different characters and how they change over the course of the story.  Children will love the adorable animal characters, and the details in their homes are fun to look at, as is the creepy dark wood that Badger traverses.

Anything you did not like about the book?  No

To whom would you recommend this book? It is appropriate and appealing for preschoolers and primary grade students; their teachers and parents of that age range will find it  worthwhile in general, and especially useful perhaps for kicking off service projects or donation drives for those in need, and for encouraging young ones to think beyond their own immediate comforts.  

Who should buy this book? Preschools, public and elementary school libraries

Where would you shelve it?  Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?  No

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:  Leigh Russell King, Lincoln Street School, Northborough, Massachusetts.

Date of review: March 10, 2023