9 Little People by Regina Feldmann ~ Children's Picture Book Review

 

9 LITTLE PEOPLE

By REGINA FELDMANN

Illustrated by Martina Stuhlberger

Children's Picture Book / Multicultural / Community

Publisher ‏ : ‎ NorthSouth Books

Expected Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 2, 2025

Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years

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ABOUT THE BOOK: A sweet, joyous celebration of nine unique children and their lifelong friendship.

Nine little people are born on the same day. All of them experience love and care in their different families, and they grow up doing everything together. They become the best of friends.

9 Little People is an ode to friendship and family. It is an ode to belonging and acceptance. It invites children–and their families–to imagine a community where everyone is brought together by their commonalities, as well as celebrated for their differences.

In sweet, rhyming text, author Regina Feldmann shares how the nine children change and develop, celebrating important and silly moments together—and many moments in between. Martina Stuhlberger’s thoughtful illustrations bring their world to life in vibrant colors.

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BOOK REVIEW

I don't spend time on plot summary, so please read the book synopsis above.

HALL WAYS REVIEW: Oh, what a delight it is to read 9 Little People! And it's double-y delightful to read it with my observant five-year-old granddaughter, Amelia. While we did have a misfire trying to read the ARC on Kindle (formatting was awful), and she was frustrated at having to read it on my iPad via the NetGalley app, (MIMI, why don't you have this REAL book to hold???), we had a wonderful time reading together.

In 9 Little People Martina Stuhlberger's soft, expressive illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to Regina Feldmann's rhythmic and rhyming text. The combination invites young readers to truly study the pages. My young reader made sure to verify that there are indeed nine little people on each page, and when there wasn't, she was quick to explain that some kids have siblings. 

"9 little people make big plans together. 9 little people stay best friends forever." 

Since the story progresses from when the babies are bulges in their mommies' tummies to when they're independent children, there are even more opportunities for page-studying and discussion. In 9 Little People, readers see children and their adults who celebrate what they have in common and their unique connections that bond them together.    

Adults will likely find the author's note in the "Dear Reader" section of interest. It explains the impetus for writing the book, and it's a reminder to place faith and hope in our younger generations. 

When Amelia and I finished 9 Little People (the second time), I asked her to give me a thumbs up or a thumbs down to buying the hardcover edition. She gave me TWO thumbs up! Can't get a better recommendation than that. 

I received a copy of the book and reviewed this book as part of Camp NetGalley.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Regina Feldmann was born in Germany. After living in Malta, Ireland, New York, and Portugal, she now lives in Berlin with her family. Regina writes and translates children's books and is also involved in projects that promote a diversity of voices in children's literature.

Martina Stuhlberger lives and works near Linz, Austria. Before realizing her childhood dream of becoming an illustrator, she studied journalism and languages in Salzburg and Nicaragua, and later worked as a copywriter and screenwriter. Her work is inspired by foreign worlds, the beauty of nature, diversity, and cohesion.

All of a Sudden and Forever ~ Picture Book Review

 

ALL OF A SUDDEN

AND FOREVER

Help and Healing After

the Oklahoma City Bombing

by

CHRIS BARTON

Illustrated by Nicole Xu

Children's Picture Book / Nonfiction / Healing / History

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 11 years

Carolrhoda Books

40 pages

Publication Date: February 4. 2020

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FROM THE TBR PILE. I've been a Chris Barton fan for a long time. He's a gifted author (my favorites are What Do You Do with a Voice Like That and Glitter Everywhere!) and engaging speaker, and an amazing advocate for libraries and readers' rights. I subscribe to his outstanding newsletter, and one feature of that is regular giveaways. I was lucky enough to win autographed copies of Barton's All of a Sudden and Forever, Manatee Summer by Evan Griffith, and Wintergarden by Janet Fox in the August, 2024 contest.  

I remember ALL OF A SUDDEN AND FOREVER being released around the 25th anniversary of the bombing, and I remember thinking, "How in the world do you write a children's book about that?" Now I know.

ABOUT THE BOOK: A profoundly moving nonfiction picture book about tragedy, hope, and healing from award-winning author Chris Barton. 

Sometimes bad things happen, and you have to tell everyone. Sometimes terrible things happen, and everybody knows. On April 19, 1995, something terrible happened in Oklahoma City: a bomb exploded, and people were hurt and killed. But that was not the end of the story.

Those who survived—and those who were forever changed—shared their stories and began to heal. Near the site of the bomb blast, an American elm tree began to heal as well. People took care of the tree just as they took care of each other. The tree and its seedlings now offer solace to people around the world grappling with tragedy and loss.

Released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, this book commemorates what was lost and offers hope for the future.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY: Bank Street College of Education, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Evanston Public Library, Fuse #8 Production, Kirkus Reviews, Los Angeles Public Library, Only Picture Books, School Library Journal, Waking Brain Cells, and Writers’ League of Texas.

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MY BOOK REVIEW

HALL WAYS REVIEW: This past Saturday, April 19, 2025, marked thirty years since the Oklahoma City bombing, which is the subject of Chris Barton's ALL OF A SUDDEN AND FOREVER. I was still teaching junior high and remember the day very well. I turned on NPR, and as the reports were coming in, I recall the near desperate urge to leave work to get to and hold my then nine-month-old baby. As more and more information was released, the magnitude of the event and loss of lives coupled with the reality of domestic terrorism was almost more than my young-mother's heart could take. Sadly, since then, my mother's heart has had to endure one heartache after another as incidents that should be unimaginable have struck our nation. But still, I remember and I share the stories so they are never forgotten. And Barton's book helps that cause.

“Their stories would keep alive those they had lost. Those stories, told and retold, would make sure the past had a place in the present.”

Initially, I was not sure about who is the intended audience or how to use ALL OF A SUDDEN AND FOREVER. The point of the book is to remind us, all of us, to remember. And part of how that happens is by telling the stories to our younglings. Any elementary aged kid or older is already aware of dangers that happen in our world – they do school drills for active shooters, after all. But Barton handles the topic with finesse.  He writes intentionally, sensitively, and carefully, and I like that it’s left in the readers’ hands to decide if they want to learn more.

Barton's style of keeping things generic underscores to me that this is any person’s story and every person’s story. Had Barton included more details, it could be too much for the youngest readers.  Older readers will surely want more information, so I can see the book being a good springboard for additional research and discussions. He provides an Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, and recommended reading and resources (an extended list can be found on his website). 

Nicole Xu's multimedia illustrations keeps faces and places muted – a good move, I think, coupled with how Barton refers to people vaguely. Xu uses somber colors, darker at first, but as the story unfolds and the focus is on recovery, hope, and survival, the colors lighten. 

A recurring element in the story is the Survivor Tree. Its roots continue to spread and feed the damaged tree that is above ground and its seedlings bring comfort and hope to people. This brought to mind the more recent tree that symbolizes hope, Lahaina's resilient banyan tree, a similar symbol of recovery and community. We hold each other up. 

“And because of the stories so many of us have shared . . .

We will remember the help so many needed.

We will remember the help so many received.

We will remember the help so many provided.

We will remember.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Chris Barton is the award-winning author of picture books. He visits schools by the score and also loves speaking to professional gatherings of librarians, educators, and fellow writers.

He's married to middle-grade/YA novelist Jennifer Ziegler, and they co-host the children’s literature video series “This One’s Dedicated to…” in which we talk with other authors and illustrators about the dedications they’ve written for their books. 

They have four adult children and one dog and live in Austin where Chris serves as vice president of the Texas Institute of Letters, a 501(c)(3) non-profit honor society founded in 1936 to celebrate Texas literature and to recognize distinctive literary achievement. 

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