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Reviewed by Diana Helentjaris for Readers' Favorite
In her children’s picture book, The Very Best You, author and illustrator Angela Panayotopulos offers encouragement to “young warriors of rare diseases and abilities.” Her messages include the recognition that everyone is unique, that some need special tools to flourish, that there are loving people to help, and that what’s really important is a person’s character, not their differences from others. The story is set in the Mediterranean, apparently on a Greek island. She tells her story through animal characters. Baby animals are often paired with a parent. Rabbits, a donkey, dancing crabs, birds, and more illustrate the book. They deal with G-tubes, blood sugar tests, adaptive equipment, the need for frequent snacks, and other situations familiar to children with special needs.
The Very Best You by Angela Panayotopulos is a beautiful book with an equally beautiful, empowering message. The vibrant colors combined with the freshness of the Mediterranean setting make moving from page to page a joy. As someone who grew up with a sibling with a cleft lip and palate, I am familiar with the challenges children can face. The need to deal with special needs while conquering all the other tasks of childhood can be daunting. What I loved about this book is the universality of its positive message. The Very Best You is a helpful book for children with rare diseases and their classmates, family, and friends. But it is a picture book for everyone to enjoy, for we are all fundamentally different from one another and need to be reminded from time to time that being different is okay.
