Connah Brecon – Mom Read It

Great and Small, by Alison McLennan/Illustrated by Connah Brecon, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684645558

Ages 4-8

Tiny Eunice the Unicorn wants to enter the Great Unicorn Games and win a ribbon. She’s got all the heart and dedication in the world, but her skills fall a wee bit short. But that’s okay: her friends are there to help out and support her. When things don’t go the way she was hoping, that’s okay, too: the other unicorns and her friends work with Eunice to create the Great and Small Games, where everyone was welcome to compete “no matter how big or small, fast or slow”. Cheerful illustrations celebrate the inclusivity of the story by including a diverse group of animals, including and elephant wearing dark glasses and using a walking stick, and a teddy bear in a wheelchair; the banner promoting the Great and Small Games is translated into Braille. Front endpapers show Eunice and friends walking out from a dark, overcast forest; back endpapers show a bright sky and a group of competitors, all sporting ribbons. A cheerful story of equity and inclusivity and a good readaloud choice. Great and Small was originally published in Australia in 2022.

The Kitchen Table Classroom has fun printable unicorn headbands that would be a perfect craft accompaniment to this storytime!

Frank! by Connah Brecon, (Sept. 2014, Running Press). $16.95, ISBN: 978-0-7624-5423-5

Recommended for ages 4-7

Frank is a sweet bear who’s always late for school – but he’s got a good reason every time! Whether he’s helping a cat stuck in an ill-tempered tree, dancing in a charity dance-off, or saving a family of bunnies from a bullying ogre, Frank is there to lend a hand, even if it makes him late for school. But when he saves his classmates by calling for teamwork, everyone learns a valuable lesson – being thoughtful and friendly will always win in the end.

Frank! is a sweet book about a kind-hearted bear who can’t pass up the chance to help someone out, but his time management skills need a little work. He shows up at school after the school day is over on the first day and improves a little bit every day from there. The message here may be perceived as mixed – it’s okay to be habitually late, as long as you’ve been doing good deeds – but I see it as appealing to young audiences who can relate to a shorter attention span. Who could resist helping a family of bunnies out, right? The book communicates to children, and it’s all about big imaginations and wild excuses. Children will connect with Frank and his desire to do good.

The art is adorably cartoony, with a large, black typewriter font narrating most of the story. The pictures are bright and cheery, with both spreads and single pages chock-full of art and balloon dialogue to attract readers. This works as a storytime book and as an individual read for more confident readers.

Added note: My 2 year-old gives this book an enthusiastic, “I like this book!” and demands his own zombie lizard king.

Frank! hits stores on September 30, but you can get your pre-orders in now!

Tag: Connah Brecon

Great and Small celebrates participation for all!

Connah Brecon’s Frank is always late… but he’s got a good reason!