MacLachlan, Patricia. My Life Begins! ‡ Daniel Miyares, Illus. Fiction. HarperCollins/K. Tegen, 08/2022. 119pp. $16.99. 978-0-06-311601-6. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 2-5.
Using an authentic first-person voice, nine-year-old Jacob describes his experience as the brother to three newborn triplet sisters. His class has a year-long science project of journaling about any subject they choose, and he writes about how the triplets change and grow, which he discovers is a new beginning for him as well. The writing is concise but thoughtful in the style of the author’s Newbery winner Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985), and the book design uses abundant white space and ink drawings every few pages to break up the text. There is no mention of racial identity, but the artwork indicates the family is probably white, and one of Jacob’s friends is Black. This will appeal to a wide age range due to the depth of the writing combined with a brief, clear narrative.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University, iSchool