This was a beautiful children’s book which brings attention to stuttering. I shared this one with my nieces and nephews to explain to them about acceptance and what other children struggle with and to help teach them compassion for others.

Meet Oliver, he's seven years old and is like most seven year olds. He likes to read and play sports. He has siblings and they don't always get along. But Oliver stutters and is very self conscience about it. He is suppose to stand up in front of his class and give an All About Me report. He has managed to put it off but his teacher told him he couldn't put it off any longer. He goes home and he isn't happy. His mother knows about the report and asks him about it. He doesn't want to talk in front of his classmates because he stutters. Mom gives him a pep talk and helps him practice his report so he will be prepared. The next day when his teacher called on him he didn't try to skip out on the report because he was prepared.

This is a great picture book to discuss different abilities and inclusivity and self-acceptance. I enjoyed the illustrations which were very expressive and colorful - with a pastel color palette that spoke to me. Children with stutters can learn to accept their differences, Children without stutters can learn to see from a different perspective and Parents can learn how important it is to listen to their child and help them feel prepared and encourage their self-love. The only gripe is that I didn't feel a tug to my heart at any point, it's a very matter-of-fact type of storytelling. Nothing wrong with it, just would have preferred a more lyrical/emotional tale.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4229967263

What a cute book! I think this is an awesome book for any kid that stutters to beheld with their confidence. And also any other kid to learn that stuttering isn’t a big deal and no reason to make fun of someone or be mean to them because they’re different.

The illustrations in this book are fabulous. I love the many faces Oliver has throughout the book, it made me smile!

Very empowering children's book with creative illustrations and facial expressions! I enjoyed the comparison of a stutter to other traits to help him accept it and know that will be able to help children accept all kinds of traits that have that may be different.

A simple book that clearly and concisely demonstrates what it means to have a stammer. I don't think it touched enough in the emotions raised and from the children I've met who have a stammer it still had a long way to to go to even begin to touch on the difficulties faced.

A touching story of a kid who stutters, the day before he must present about himself in front of the class. The artwork is exceptional, to the point of outshining the text; the message is so important and the story itself is great, but I found it stopped just shy of giving an actually satisfying ending. So close! But half a step from doing it.

This was a really cute and well done book. The illustrations were fantastic and engaging, while the story itself was something that I think kids need to read. It is for those who have a stutter to feel seen, and for those without to understand the fear that can come with a stutter. Loved it.

This is a book that has its heart in the right place. Oliver is a seven year old who is great in many activities but hates to speak. The reason? He has a stutter. After escaping his school speaking assignment on “All About Me” for a long time, he approaches his mother for help. She makes him realise that his stutter is a part of who he is and he needs to accept it willingly. This marks a turnaround in his thinking.

The moral of the story is fabulous. You actually feel for Oliver when he stutters, “I don’t want them to know all about me.” So many children lose their confidence because of their so-called shortcomings. But if they accept it, laugh at it, and don’t shy away from it, life can certainly be a bit easier for them. That’s where this book does really well. The message comes out very clearly. I do wish the end weren’t so abrupt. It would have been nice to see Oliver’s classmates accepting him for who he is, further increasing his self-confidence. Instead, the book ends with his making the ‘All About Me” presentation in front of his class, saying that he is a person who stutters.

In terms of content, the story goes very smoothly and will be fairly easy for its target readers except for a couple of issues. The definition of stuttering as given in the book is like a dictionary definition of the problem. Instead of using words such as ‘disruption’ and ‘disfluencies’, the book should have stuck to a simplified explanation that would resonate better with its young readers. Also, there’s a word usage error. (I hate such errors in children’s books even more than usual because kids learn the language from books.) A sentence reads, “Does you’re not wanting to give your presentation have anything to do with your stutter?” It should be “your”, not “you’re”.

The illustrations were cute but they were also uninspired. Quite a lot of the illustrations of Oliver’s face are reused on multiple pages. One page says Oliver liked to use his imagination. But the drawings on that page only showed Oliver’s face in a variety of expressions. It becomes boring to see the same sketches again and again, especially as children relish the illustrations as much as they enjoy reading the story. But yes, plus points for making Oliver a person of colour.

The book is certainly worth reading for its moral and for the idea of self-acceptance.

3.5 stars, rounding up.

Thank you to Indigo River Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What looks to be based on real life, this brief episode in the life of a stammerer has him bricking it about the school "All About Me" presentation he's been industriously avoiding. Luckily, his mother instils a bit of PMA the night before, and he can just about accept the condition as a relevant part of himself that is not to be disliked. Seemingly a mother-and-son creative team have provided a decent book, that is definitely about the issue as opposed to creating entertainment, but in its amenable design, large and simple text (and non-Caucasian casting) is an issue book many will welcome.

Very cute book. Seems like a small thing but I don’t recall ever seeing a POC illustrated in any of my childhood books so that is really nice to see. Love that it brings attention to children with invisible disabilities. Only thing I didn’t like was page 8, as I think the full definition of a stutter used there is unnecessary for children in this age group and doesn’t fit with the tone of the rest of the book. Other than that, very cute and well written, reminding children that they are made up of so much more that just one thing that they don’t like about themselves.

This was adorable! This is something I would 100% make my nephews listen to while I read it to them and ironically it worked! Which is why I’m thoroughly excited to keep checking on what else this author has in store. I loved it!

Wonderful little children book about a kid who shutters and how he try to learn how to accept it. Very well done and very touching!

I can't imagine how much a book like this would mean to a student working through speech issues. It's very honest and matter-of-fact about both speaking difficulties and the anxiety that can accompany them. The story did resolve quickly and easily, but as long as an adult reading partner explains that it's OK if a student sometimes still feels scared, insecure, or frustrated even if they're making progress, this would be a fine resource.

My favorite part was that Oliver is presented as just another kid who likes sports and sometimes fights with his siblings and just happens to have a stutter. It's simply one of the many things about him. I think that's a message that will go a long way to creating empathy and helping kids realize that lots of us have things about us that are different and it's really no big deal.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!