A Giant Crush (review)

Cooper's best friend, Jackson, has a crush on their classmate, Cami, which he expresses with anonymous gifts of a flower, candy, and a fancy homemade valentine. The other members of their grade-school classroom (all rabbits) soon figure it out, however, and one boy in particular, Carter Corey (who also has a crush on Cami) particularly ribs Jackson and Cami about it. Jackson is concerned that Cami won't like him because of his size (he's the biggest one in their class), but after she receives his valentine, Cami asks him to play soccer and stands up to Carter Corey, and happy Jackson knows his feelings are reciprocated. Choldenko is spot-on in her portrayal of the agonies and excitement of elementary school love, from the girls chanting "Cami has a boyfriend" to the attention-grabbing Carter Corey stealing Cami's scarf on the playground to Jackson's blushing embarrassment over his feelings ("Jackson's cheeks flush red as a wrong-answer pencil"). Having Cooper narrate the story also handily provides an entry point for kids who haven't quite reached the "first crush" stage yet, although even those kids will likely sympathize with Jackson as he worries that Cami doesn't like him back ("Jackson's face crumples up. 'I would know if she liked me,' he whispers"). Sweet's cheerful mixed-media illustrations depict a sunny bunny world in which perky-eared rabbit kids wear hoodies and ball caps (but no shoes). Sharp-eyed viewers will appreciate Sweet's attention to small details such as the cartons of carrot juice, rather than milk, in the cafeteria and the class fish also receiving a valentine of its own. This could help prompt a discussion about appropriate displays of affection in the classroom, but it would also be a sweet selection for a Valentine's Day storytime.