The Balloon Blow Up is a simple book about making a highly complex decision. How big should I make my very own balloon?
Illustrated in Andy Geppert’s gorgeous gentle style, this adorable picture book is about making your first big decision and caring for things that are precious to you… like a yellow balloon.
Even small questions are big when you’re a kid. In this charming picture book, a little girl must decide how big she wants her yellow balloon to be. As big as a fishbowl or even bigger, like the moon? She has to decide quickly because it looks like the balloon has its own ideas.
Kids and adults alike will find joy in this delightful story. It hums along quietly, like those precious childhood moments and milestones that feel so very ordinary at the time, but will end up being remembered, and cherished, forever.
Geppert is an award-winning children’s author and illustrator. His merit as an artist shines through on every page with his distinctive pastel-forward colour palette and gorgeously subtle yet evocative brushwork.
Geppert’s previous book, Meep, was recognised for its representation of children with disability and difference. I imagine that many kids and their parents will feel a particular affinity for the beautifully rendered protagonist of The Balloon Blow Up. The book’s calm and understanding tone will make it a valuable resource to open up discussions about managing emotions and coping with meltdowns and decision fatigue.
Sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact on our little ones. Geppert captures the feeling of being overwhelmed – and how to step down from the rising sense of panic – with sincerity and generosity.
This is a perfect story for parents and children who are looking for an alternative to the brash colour and noise of many kids’ picture books! It’s fun and full of energy, but it never shouts.
I recommend The Balloon Blow Up for a quiet, warm and gently humorous storytime to share with little readers aged 1+.
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