A Person Can Be

Book excerpt: Naughty and nice? Busy and bored? People can be different things — at the same time! This deceptively simple book uses children’s everyday experiences to explore human complexity. Each page features a child embodying two seemingly contradictory characteristics. For example, a boy’s bouquet of balloons makes him lucky, but since one has floated away, he’s unlucky at the same time. In another, a girl making sure the food she’s pouring lands in her cat’s bowl is careful, but since her foot has knocked over the bag of food, she’s also clumsy. Full of clever observations, it’s sure to pique kids’ curiosity and make them wonder — How many different things am I?