Book Review: Big Enough by Regina Linke

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Title: Big Enough
Author: Regina Linke
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780316531153

Synopsis:
Little Ah-Fu has a big imagination, but he can’t imagine being the Oxherd Boy . . . yet. When the day comes for Ah-Fu to bring the huge family ox home from the woods, he worries that he’s not big enough to do the job.  Will fear and self-doubt drive Ah-Fu home empty-handed? Or can he rely on his wits and compassion to become the Oxherd Boy his family expects—and prove to himself that he is, indeed, big enough?

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This gorgeously illustrated children’s book is coming in just a couple of short months, and it’s absolutely, without a doubt, a wonderful addition to any child’s growing library. A story about a young boy who is told that he’s not big enough to handle taking care of the family ox in many different ways, he learns—though not without worry—that he is more than capable of getting the ox home. Through his experiences, he works with the ox to help bring her back to the stable, proving that he is indeed big enough.

As the mother of a 4-year-old, this book is the perfect story for bed time. The plot resonated with Little Worn Pages, the illustrations are absolutely breathtaking, and there were lots of opportunities for Little Worn Pages to ask questions and understand why the protagonist, Ah-Fu, was doing things he was told he couldn’t. It presented a great learning opportunity that yes, we can do things that are hard, and sometimes, though somebody might tell us we can’t, if we believe in ourselves and we trust ourselves, we can do anything we put our minds to. What matters is what we all feel and think on the inside that counts. Just like Ah-Fu, each of us can learn that we are confident and capable.

The pages are filled with wonderful and imaginative images as the reader sees the world through Ah-Fu’s exploratory lens. As he is creative and imaginative in his world, so too does the reader come to move through the world more imaginatively. Whether we see the world from the perspective of an insect, or talk deeply and thoughtfully with the ox, through Ah-Fu’s eyes, the reader can view the world through the curious mind of a child.

I am so glad for the opportunity to review this book, and I want to say a huge thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for sharing a copy with me. I hope you’ll pick up your very own copy, and enjoy this one as much as we did.

Happy reading!