You and me

A joyful celebration of contrasts and wordplay, You and Me explores opposites through a make-believe game. A boy and girl take turns transforming themselves into contrasting concepts and creatures. « I’m a valley/You’re a hill/You’re moving/I’m still. » The children place themselves in their imaginary environments, depicted in Giovanni Manna’s very pretty, almost old-fashioned watercolors. Each page with its illustrated concept is framed in an enchanting border with related objects scattered about. For example, when the girl says « I’m a river, » she stands in a swirling river with ducks, rushes, and a crab nearby. Surrounding her in the border is a waterfall cascading down the length of the page, with river rocks in a pool beneath. Children will enjoy the fantasy of this book and be inspired to go beyond the text in their own opposites game. The simple, rhyming verse is perfect for reading aloud to even the smallest children, as it never varies from its lilting pattern, concluding with the very satisfying and esteem-boosting « You’re you/And I’m me. » (Ages 2 to 6) –Emilie Coulter