Sparrowlegs

I bought this book in support of the illustrator who is a dear friend of mine, but this book is not just her artistic skill, it is a joint effort between author and illustrator and the author has done a wonderful job at capturing the everyday struggles of children who have concerns about their bodies to varying degrees. While this book is aimed at children, the subject matter is absolutely relatable to all ages as insecurities surrounding body image affect all age groups and while I am at a point where I embrace all the features of my body, there was a time when I didn't and that is a realisation that children will come to even though it could take some years but they'll always be able to return to this book and remember that no matter the body you were given, it is yours to love and people will flock towards positivity and soak up the love we have for ourselves.Now to focus a little on style; this book is visually enriching with colours and texture from the use of watercolours that are truly the epitome of a Children's book. Our main character, Sparrow, has her signature long legs and like all birds, a cute and plump belly! There is a wonderful page to exaggerate Sparrow's long legs in a double page spiral formation that is fun an engaging for Young readers and holds true to its message of looking beyond the outer appearance and appreciating character values.If you have young children in your family, this book is a staple in reinforcing a positive outlook on self image and reminds children that the other kids around them might feel the way Sparrow did at the beginning, which is really a two-in-one as children will learn to empathise with others through the joys of story books!

This is the story of a loveable sparrow, who everyone calls 'skinny and thin'. The comments make her feel bad about her body. But then the sparrow learns about all the amazing things her body can do. It's about positive body image, which is such a great message for kids and adult readers alike. The illustrations are a joy too - they really capture the sparrow's feelings as she discovers how amazing she is!I was also really struck by a quote on the back cover of the book from PhD candidate @jade_parnell94 (Centre of Appearance Research, University of the West of England). Jade says, "Children can begin judging others based on their appearance as early as four years old. It is important that we educate children early to accept differences in appearance." Says it all really. Share the love with this book.

This book is beautifully illustrated and the rhyming flows and is easy to read. It’s simple, yet has tremendous impact and I highly recommend reading it to children to improve their body confidence.

This amazing book is perfect for my 5 year old. He was able to read the story himself and understand the messaging behind it - not to be mean to people if they look different, and that everybody should love their body.This is such a great book for young kids and very important to get them into thinking positively about how they look from a young age. The illustrations are lovely and colourful too - great book! :)

Sparrowlegs is such a brilliant book! This endearing story is a lovely read for children and the illustrations are beautiful! This engaging book also tells a very important message about loving yourself for who you really are. A message that all children need to hear!

My five year old loves this book and was able to easily understand the message it provides. Well written and gorgeous illustrations. Would recommend for any parent wanting to explain the importance of self-love and individuality to young children. A lovely way to build self esteem.

This book tells a story that many children will relate to, and with beautiful illustrations is a joy to read with young children. This book will help children have a more positive body image, be more considerate to others and more self acceptance.

A fabulous book that would definitely help children in the early years begin to develop, understand and embrace that all people are different. Really cleverly written with such empathy! Fab read