You're Missing It!

PreS-Gr 1--A small child pulls his father through a city park: "Come on! Let's go, Daddy!" Dad follows but looks down at his phone the whole time. The child greets various wonders, like birds and squirrels. Dad continues to "Beep bop beep" on his phone. Then things get sillier. A roller-skater is pulled off balance by dogs chasing a jogger. A little girl watches from the bushes while her mom engages with her own phone. Together the kids watch a bird hatch and get sneezed on by a rhinoceros, all the while repeating to their parents, "You're missing it!" At last the first child's dad looks up from his phone to enjoy a beautiful butterfly. He hugs the boy and carries him out of the park on his shoulders. The girl says hello to the butterfly and goodbye to the boy as she trots behind her phone-obsessed mom. The squirrels stare curiously at the phone that the dad presumably left behind. While not subtle in its messaging, this is a refreshing reminder that kids aren't the only ones who benefit from a break from their electronics. The bright watercolor illustrations and playful details keep the story light and fun. The hand-lettered text adds an especially lively touch. VERDICT Libraries looking for a light and timely exploration of parent engagement will not want to miss this amusing title.--Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Married actors Smith and Thiessen take playful aim at cellphone-addicted caregivers in this exclamation point-filled debut. During a father-son outing to the park, a boy's dad remains glued to his phone despite the increasingly unusual things happening nearby. A roller-skating dog walker loses control of his mutts, a butterfly leads the boy--and a new friend, whose mother is also attached to her screen--to a grounded egg that hatches into a baby bird. "You're missing it!" the yellow-haired boy shouts to his dad after each incident. Finally, a sneezing purple rhinoceros evades its catcher, the whole ensemble (dog walker, dogs, baby bird, rhino) joins in the boy's refrain, and the butterfly lands on the father's nose. Happily, the dad sees what he's been missing and casts his phone aside. As the two run off together, the butterfly lands on the boy's friend, perhaps beginning the journey toward attentiveness anew. Smith's bold pen-and-watercolor illustrations pop with tropical hues that aptly emphasize how vibrant the real world is when compared to a screen. A refreshing and opportune reminder to put down the phone and eye the butterflies. Ages 3-5. (Apr.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

A timely comment on technology’s drawbacks in today’s society.