The diverse class gives all kids a chance to practice saying "I'm fine just as I am." and the confidence of Billu to own what could have been a hurtful nickname is a great example for kids of all ages. The positive mindset Billu exhibits with his "I'll get it right one day but for now, I'm fine just as I am" is admirable and something every kids needs to hear. The fact that he does eventually and in doing so gives others the confidence to make mistakes is such a great message.
The closing authors note and activity make this book great for classrooms as well as private collections.

A children’s picture book, this is a lovely little story about Billu, a kid who can’t quite button his shirt up right and as a result, gets called (affectionately) Billu Buttons. His friends decide to surprise him on his birthday but instead, end up getting a surprise from him as well.

It’s a sweet story of how it is important for kids to learn self-acceptance at an early stage, to not get saddled into one way of thinking just because society deemed it so. As an adult, it heartens me to see the resources kids have today to learn the power of positive thinking. All I had in my day was You Can Win and The Power of Positive Thinking, which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best encouragement for a child.

So kudos to Gus Singh and Delzin Choksey for bringing this book out. We need more authors and illustrators like them working for the children.

Firstly, this book makes me really happy to see a little Sikh boy as a lead character which is really hard to come by!
The illustrations and the story was loved and enjoyed by me and my son and even though it's been days, we still talk about Billu buttons on some days.

I have very high praises for this story. We meet Billu, who is a young Sikh boy, and is a very independent kid. He does things in his own way. His friends call him Billu Buttons ‘cause his shirt is never quite buttoned right. Those little things are what his friends love about him. They want to surprise him on his birthday and celebrate the things that make him unique, he surprises them too. I love the message of this book, celebrate your uniqueness and to be yourself. The message “I am fine just as I am!” The wonderful illustrations do an amazing job at showing the emotions and feelings of this story. It has become a favorite read for our family. My 5 year old needed this message the most and it has been amazing for him. I can’t say enough about the positive that this book shows.
We received this as an ebook ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing us to enjoy this book. We can’t wait to add it to our home library. I can’t wait to gift it to some friends as well. Enjoy this with your family!

Super fun and cute kids’ story!

I didn’t know what to expect going in but this feels like such a sweet story and one I’ll definitely be reading to my daughter.
Such a sweet message for all kids (and adults to be honest) to have this mentality of “I’m fine just as I am”.

Truly awesome book! This also wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I was happily surprised. This book's central message of believing in yourself and trusting the process was amazing. Billu sets a perfect example for young readers everywhere, and inspires them to take pride in their individual learning experiences, however long or short, just like Billu did in his story. Additionally, the illustrations were so detailed and worked with the story incredibly well. It was clear what each character was going for, and what their intentions were. This was so helpful in the case of this story, to really tie the whole thing together by the end of the book. Lastly, the extra material at the end of the book was such a clever idea to include. The author's note is just as inspiring as Billu's story, and the activity instructions allows readers to apply the book's teachings to their own lives in a creative and tangible.
Bravo!

I'm fine just as I am! What a perfect and beautiful message. This is somewhat autobiographical, it seems, and I found it completely relatable to misbutton my shirt and other little mistakes. But Gus knows it doesn't matter, because he's fine the way he is, and his family and classmates accept him the way he is. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

A lovely and sweet children's picture book with a critically important lesson! First, many thanks to Gus Singh, the author, Delzin Choksey, the artist, Modern Marigold Books, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read and review this book. I will share my review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble upon release.

Billu is a little mess of a guy (I was also this kind of a kid) and he can't manage to get his look together. He struggles with getting his outfits on and keeping his shoes tied. He's got a lot of things going on, okay? Well, because of this, his classmates are a little rude, and Billu is able to be confident and strong enough to remain himself. This impresses his classmates so much that they also join in on Billu's movement, and join in on the trend. Billu's story is adorably illustrated, with lots of fun colors and adventures in the day that kids will be able to engage with and relate to. There's also a little activity at the end for kids to be able to work on their own self-esteem. Being that Billu is a Sikh boy, his routine will be relatable to other Sikh children and will spark conversation for other children, giving a great opportunity to learn about others. The cover is extremely cute and I think will be a lovely addition to any child's library!

This was a super adorable picture book about a young boy trying to dress himself, and even though it’s not perfect, he keeps trying because he knows he’ll get it eventually, and until then he’s perfectly fine as he is. This is really sweet and I love the theme of being fine as you are.

"Billu Buttons" by Gus Singh is a delightful and heartwarming story, full of charm and humor, yet with an emotional depth that resonates long after the final page. What drew me in immediately is the refreshing simplicity with which the author brings Billu to life—a character who is both innocent and endearing, navigating a world that often feels too complicated for him. Despite this, Billu's natural curiosity and earnestness help him tackle unexpected situations, blending laughter with moments of thoughtful reflection.

"Billu Buttons" is a story that left me and my daughter smiling, thinking, and feeling grateful for life's simple joys. It's a book that celebrates innocence and the beauty of seeing the world with fresh eyes.

This is a cute picture book about a boy named Billu who wants to dress himself on his own. Yeah, he doesn’t quite match his buttons, and yeah, his shoes won't stay tied, and he can’t quite tuck his shirt in, but hey, he dressed himself.


And so the kids tease him and call him Billu Buttons because his buttons aren’t quite right.


But Billu says he is fine. That he is the best him that he can be. And if his shirt buttons don't match today, well, some day they will.


And like all good stories, eventually he does improve, but not before influencing his classmates into trying to dress themselves, and all their buttons are out of whack.


Very cute story of self worth, and letting kids try things out because they have to learn somehow.
THanks to Netgalley and Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published the 15th of October 2024.

Billu Buttons has a great message, suitable for kids of all ages, “I’m fine just as I am!” Positive affirmation is a lifelong skill that will carry children into adulthood as strong, independent, and compassionate adults.

Billu illustrates that he’s fine with who is and how he dresses.

Gosh, I can remember my nieces and nephews telling me that they can dress themselves (chuckle). Some of the outfits they wouldn’t be caught dead in now. I let them dress however they wanted because the bigger battle for me was homework. Choose your battles and don’t sweat the small stuff. Gus Singh shows kids that it’s okay to not get it right the first time or the hundredth time and to just keep trying at their own pace.

Delzin Choksey brings diversity and color to the page. I’m not a fan of some of the heavy dominance of color, such as making all of the food purple on one page. The artwork is engaging, and kids love color.

The dialogue is simple for kids to understand. There is even an animal sidekick to entertain the kids while being taught a lesson. Overall, Billu Buttons shares the message that it is okay to be you.

This is a lovely children's book that explores trying to do things that are difficult. The illustrations are lovely and the sentiment of the kind friends is also lovely - however I do wonder if everyone in real life buttoned up their shirts wrong if the child might wonder if they were laughing at them? But apart from that, it's a great book and written in a way that will keep children interested and engaged, and want to find out what happens next. It is also lovely the way it shows children from different cultures being friends together.

Billu Buttons by Gus Singh.
This was a lovely read. Great story with illustrations. It's a lovely and bright story. Billu is one independent kid. He loves doing things himself, especially getting dressed in the morning. At school, his friends affectionately call him Billu Buttons, because his buttons are never quite lined up right, the left corner of his shirt would never stay tucked in, and his shoelaces were always coming undone. On his birthday, when his friends try to surprise Billu by celebrating his signature style, he surprises—and inspires—them in return. This was a short read. Recommend.

An adorable book with a great message about individualism, self-expression, and positivity. I found the art style extremely unique as well. I loved that the color scheme of the pages went through the rainbow as the book went on. It made for such a fun reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sambasivan & Parikh for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, my very own.

an adorable read! This is the first representation of Sikhs in which I've seen as a picture book! This was very cute

This book is so cute!! My son loves looking through pictures as he isnt old enough to read on his own yet! The illustrations in this book will definitely call to him ! Im adding this one to the list of books to buy for him!

What a beautiful book! As a mother to three elementary aged children, I loved this book about being who you are and accepting yourself. The illustrations throughout this book were absolutely beautiful! I loved that the main character continues to try while accepting that he isn't perfect and he doesn't have to be. I also loved the instructions to make a positive affirmation poster at the back of the book. I would recommend this book to families with young children.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

In this inspirational story, the narrator declares, “I’m fine just as I am!” He learns to be independent, but is ok with not-quite-perfect tries. An activity to create a positive affirmation poster is included.