Me First by Max Kornell (review)

Donkey siblings Hal and Martha are constantly trying to top each other, despite their parens’ protestations. Following a day at the river steeped in arguments and outdoings, Hal and Martha are granted permission to head home without their parents. They unsurprisingly find opportunities to challenge each other along the way, but the tide turns when a log bridge snaps and Martha falls into the creek. Hal helps her up, and a new sense of compassion and concern overtakes their relationship. That evening, they compete not to prove themselves but to show kindness to each other, and in the comical final pages, Mom and Dad argue over who first noticed the improved behavior. Kornell’s family tale offers a refreshing twist on the typical sibling-rivalry plot that works to good effect; the shift between the sibs is largely inferred, but it is this quiet transformation that lends meaning. The story’s warmth is effectively balanced by the illustrations’ acrylic washes, whereon natural blues, greens, and browns predominate. This may prove just the story for approaching the topic of sibling competition in a family, but it will draw plenty of viewers for its balance of humor and poignancy alone.