  | Echo Author: Rex, Adam | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Everyone agrees with Junior Junior, including the mysterious voice from across the valley. Until one day, a new girl moves in next door. A disagreeable, rude girl who doesn't think Junior is right all the time. Unable to stand living next door to someone like that, Junior runs to the valley to meet his echo. Junior Junior must decide if a new friend is worth admitting he was wrong.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (01/01/25)
Booklist (03/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/03/25)
The Hornbook (00/03/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 12/02/2024 In this socio-emotional picture book, young Junior Junior finds a seemingly ideal friend in the echo that bounces off an adjacent mountain near his high-altitude home. When he shouts approbations such as "JUNIOR JUNIOR IS THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD!" the echo immediately agrees. Then a real kid, Sandy, moves in next door; not only does she refuse to echo Junior Junior’s inflated sense of self, she also calls him out when he’s wrong. Flummoxed, Junior Junior runs away to hang full-time with the echo, embodied as the child’s doppelganger. But the echo’s constant agreement soon becomes tiresome, and the child realizes it’s more fun to be with someone who challenges and engages. "I’m glad you’re here," Junior Junior tells Sandy after offering an apology, and when Sandy reflects those exact words back, he learns the importance of having an authentic mirror. Astutely recognizing the universal allure of constant validation, Rex (Tumblebaby) employs a slyly comic narrative and sculptural digital drawings to nudge readers toward a greater truth: real reciprocity thrives on the perspective that everyone brings to the table. Characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.) - Copyright 2024
Booklist - 03/01/2025 Since the day he was born, Junior Junior has lived across the valley from his echo. Conveniently, his echo has always agreed with all of Junior's very important opinions, from how smart Junior is (the smartest) to just how annoying all the other kids are. When a new neighbor moves in who doesn't always agree with Junior, he thinks it's the perfect time to meet up with his echo in person, but their playdate makes him reconsider how much fun you can have with someone who just echoes what you believe. Echo is an entertaining story with an important lesson. While the protagonist is loud and forceful, his new neighbor exemplifies the fact that confidence and self-assuredness can be quiet, too. Rex's eye-catching illustration style, slightly reminiscent of characters in Pixar shorts, is full of comical emotion. Echo is sure to resonate both with kids who see themselves in Junior Junior and those who have had to deal with a Junior Junior. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
