Book Description Review *”Readers will feel the warmth of friendship and the wonder of the world as well. Stunning.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review*”An enchanting examination of the pleasure reaped from cultivating imagination, friendship, and memory.” –School Library Journal, starred review*”Marcero works magic with prismatic watercolors, ink, and pencil, as her light-filled illustrations chronicle the young rabbits’ exploits and their appreciative wonder of the world around them . . . This joyful account of friendship will charm readers with the notion of capturing wind or a rainbow in a jar, but its deeper message of maintaining relationships over a distance will comfort those who have moved or know someone who has.” –Booklist, starred review*“In a Jar does what all the best picture books do: It captivates, entertains and leaves you with a reminder of magic still shimmering around the edges.” –BookPage, starred review”Marcero provides a metaphor for the importance of capturing fleeting moments, and an image of a friendship that overcomes separation.” –Publishers Weekly”Cozy yet also endearingly offbeat. This could make an interesting partner to Denos’ Here and Now in a celebration of moments, or it could couple with Doerrfeld’s Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! for a discussion of how sharing feeds a friendship.” –BCCB”This is a book about friendship and how true bonds can transcend geographical distance. This is one to remember when a child experiences the unexpected departure of a friend.” –School Library Connection“Marcero uses delicate lines and vibrant colors to illustrate a tale of eccentricity and friendship . . . The details in Ms. Marcero’s beguiling pictures add a seek-and-find element to this tender story for children ages 3-7.” –The Wall Street Journal Read more About the Author Deborah Marcero is the author and illustrator of My Heart Is a Compass, which Kirkus Reviews called “lovely, lively, and enchanting,” in a starred review, and the illustrator of Twinderella by Corey Rosen Schwartz. She received a BFA in drawing, printmaking, and photography from the University of Michigan and an MFA in poetry from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After teaching in Chicago public schools as a literacy specialist, Deborah realized that writing and creating books for kids was how she wanted to spend her life. Learn more at deborahmarcero.com and follow her on Twitter @deborahmarcero. Read more Customers Review: This story (even though a children’s book) pulls you in. Each page is so superbly done . One page it’s mostly leaves blowing with a square placed on the page . Inside the square(which represents a jar) is what the character is doing. Both author and illustrator go hand in had. One is just as important as the other, to get you enlightened by this book. The ending turns out very good in spite a bit of sorrow. It gives a relaxed feeling for kids, that life goes on and works out just fine, if we press on.
I bought two copies–one for my family and one for a baby shower–and will probably continue to purchase this as a gift for children (and adult friends!) into the future. This tale of a friendship made and then sustained over time is tender and thought-provoking, with the little rabbit protagonist collecting and sharing things that can be seen as literal but also as metaphors for mindfulness and memory. The illustrations are gentle and luminous; I pore over them as do the kids who have read this. I hope this lovely book is a contender for next year’s Caldecott Medal for children’s book illustration!
This is one of my very favorite children’s books! Such a sweet and charming story with absolutely stunning illustrations, it’s a treat to turn each page. This heartfelt book poetically captures the essence of love and friendship and the beautiful memories that stay with us beyond space and time, in such a warm and uniquely vibrant way. There is beauty and love on every page — evocative, playful, and nuanced. You and your children will want to read this enchanting story again and again.
Sure it’s a children’s story; but this is ~35 pages of gorgeous artwork anyone can enjoy—from sweeping 2-page spreads to getting lost in minute, quirky details.I was looking at a jar of raspberry “preserves” at the breakfast table, and it reminded me of this: Taking luscious but ephemeral fruit and concentrating it into a form that lasts. Likewise this book is a celebration of how sharing an experience with someone special makes it sweeter and more enduring.Do check out Ms. Marcero’s other books as well.
One of my new favorites. Llewellyn is such a charming character. I love the warmth of the language and the underlying message of collecting, savoring, and sharing memories and friendship. Bravo, Deborah! While other reviewers saw similarities with another book published years earlier, I disagree. Although I’ve only read the Amazon preview of the other title, to me, the style, the setting, and the language was so different than In a Jar, they feel totally different except for the jar and collecting aspect. But to me, in a world where children regularly collect things in jars, there is bound to be a slight overlap. To me, it’s not a problem. I love this beautiful book and its charming illustrations.
This magical book has quickly become a favorite in our house. The story has the elegance and richness of a zen koan, a perfect little poem about friendship, loss, connections across time and space, and opening your heart again. And every page is a masterpiece. My pre-schooler loves naming all the wonders contained in the jars. The entire page of Evelyn driving away aches with sadness, and the empty jar page captures the sense of loss so poignantly.I’ll be sharing this with many friends and family as gifts in years to come.
This is a book that makes you feel warm inside. It’s a great book to teach children about the importance of sharing experiences and collecting memories than material objects. It also is a great conversation starter for kids’ experiences moving away and missing people that they used to spend a lot of time with. The illustrations do a fantastic job of depicting the jars full of memories from the rabbits’ shared experiences. There is so much details in the illustrations and they are very pleasant to look at. I loved reading this book.
This is a beautiful book that can help children deal with big emotions. My children and I have loved all of Marcero’s books and this book is no exception. Any resemblance to another story does not automatically equal plagiarism. That is a publisher’s mistake to not catch, not the author’s. |
27 reviews