Every Little Thing

PreS-Gr 1—In this picture-book adaptation, Bob Marley's daughter adds three more verses to her father's song "Three Little Birds." Waking up to the sound of harmonizing birds, a boy in a Bob Marley T-shirt sets off in the rain with an umbrella, happily splashing in the puddles. Later, he meets friends at the playground and invites a lonely child to join them. Back at home, he makes an unintentional mess in the kitchen and is comforted by his understanding parents. The birds and his mother and father sing him to sleep in the evening. The final repetition of the refrain, "Don't worry about a thing 'cause every little thing is gonna be all right!" shows the family rejoicing among flowers. Brantley-Newton uses mixed-media and digital art to animate the lyrics. Bright colors and characters with joyful facial expressions capture the celebratory nature of the book. The verses are printed in large type and zigzag on pages containing lots of white space. Readers will enjoy the antics of the boy's cat as it competes with the birds. A feel-good book for larger collections.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT