Maybe by Kobi Yamada

This short children’s picture book is about a child wondering about the big questions in life. What will I become one day,
why am I here on earth, and what am I capable of for my future? The author uses the word “maybe” as the springboard for the questions about life throughout half of the pages. The child is pictured imagining about maybe being courageous, maybe failing but getting back up, and maybe “there is something powerful, even magical, about you.” This book is artistically illustrated with the wonderings and imaginations of the child and pet pig in the book.

This book is beautifully illustrated throughout, which is by far the best (and possibly only good) quality. Maybe is attempting to be encouraging and optimistic about the child’s future, however I think it delivers the exact opposite. On 11 of the 35 total pages, it poses big questions about life like, “Have you ever wondered why you are here?” and the only answer is attempts to give is, “Do everything with love. Follow your heart and see where it leads you.” There is no foundation under this book and real answers to life’s big questions about who you are, why you’re here, and what you are capable of doing are not to be found within the pages of this book. The seriousness of the questions is illustrated alongside whimsical, light-hearted, and silly wonderings that the child seems to be thinking about like walking on mushrooms or sitting on the moon hanging stars up.

The child continues to pose questions with pictures of beautiful imaginations about how she might be courageous and how she might stand up for others without answering them or giving any reason for why, how, or who. My first impression was that giving this to a child would be mean, as it throws them up into the air with the big and scary life questions kids have about reality and the future, then leaves them infinitely falling with no solid ground in sight, only vague possibilities. I was given this book for free and immediately gave it away.

This review was written by Good Book Mom contributor, Brittney. To learn more about Brittney, click HERE.