Reviewed by Susan van der Walt for Readers' Favorite
We live in a time where often both parents have to juggle a career and raise their kids, leading to much stress. Due to this, they often tend to overreact to children's minor mishaps. In It's Not That 'Big A Deal,' Ron Keres reminds parents that minor accidents like spilling milk, taking too long to get ready in the morning, tracking dirt into the car, etc., are not such a big deal. Instead, he highlights that despite these incidents and parents' reactions to them, they still love their children and can't imagine life without them. But it will also help children realize that the small things they get right will make life easier for their parents.
I love the colorful illustrations, which show the typical effects and reactions to everyday mishaps parents and little ones know so well. I like that Ron Keres gives space for kids to write about one of their own mishaps and draw a picture about it. It's Not That 'Big A Deal' aims to help parents see the humor in these situations and realize that often these incidents make the fondest memories. And it will inspire little ones to try to avoid these things, making life easier for their parents. It teaches children values like tidiness, promptness, consideration for others, etc. Young children will love this delightful story because they are so familiar with so many incidents. It gives them and their parents a chance to see the funny side and even leads to discussions about how many of them can be prevented.