The Biggest Smallest Thing by Sara de Waal is such a wholesome book! I love the illustrations and storyline. The text will bring to life a love of stem for young and old audiences alike.

In a Nutshell: A clever picture book about looking at things differently. Creative storyline, diverse characters, good message, amazing illustrations. A good option for little readers, but better if read with adult guidance.

Plot Preview:
Mo is quite excited about the upcoming Scintillating Science Symposium as he wishes to be a chemist when he grow up. He is determined to win the event, and he is sure that he will. After all, his classmates are quite creative, but none are as smart or as into science as him. One of his friends Muriel, even declares that she wants to be a cat when she grows up.
As the teacher declares the theme for the symposium: “turn something small to something big”, Mo’s head is already bursting with ideas. Which one should he opt for? Can he win the competition?


The storyline of this picture book is good, and its execution is also quite good. I liked how all the ideas on the big day were science-based without necessarily appearing too scientific. I hope this book shows kids (and adults) how everything in our life involves science.

The plot contained a lovely variety of ideas about turning something small to big. Every idea was imaginative and suited to the child who presented it. This is even more special because the kids in the class have various hobbies, ranging from sports to music to cooking and even body fluids. Thinking of something “small to big” for each of these areas of interest is amazing on the part of the author.

Mo is a good main character, even though he is not perfect. He is clear about his ambition, he is very imaginative, he evaluates the other participants’ capabilities so that he knows what he’s competing against, he is ready to edit and upgrade his ideas based on feedback, and he doesn’t throw a fuss even when something goes wrong. At the same time, he is also a bit overconfident, forgetful, and hasty. So his character offers children many life lessons on both what to do and what not to do.

However, the other main character, Muriel, confused me. Her life ambition was to become a cat, she was the least invested in thinking up ideas for the symposium, and her preparation was at the basic level. While her idea was definitely creative, I am not sure what signal the end result sends to kids: are they supposed to take things this lightly even during serious competitions? Does effort not always reap rewards? Is simplest necessarily the best? I have quite mixed feelings about this. Wise adults could take her character and glean out some positive lessons for their young ones. However, on the whole, I think Mo was a better character than Muriel, even though the book tried hard to prove the opposite.

Some of the words might be a bit on the tougher side for the target age group of 5-8 years, but none of the words are too complicated to explain. The layout is optimal for this set of readers, with not more than 10 lines per page, and the text being divided across manageable paragraph-sizes.
The illustrations are fabulous!. Not just bright and colourful but also diverse in the truest sense of the word! Many picture books these days show diversity in the classroom, but in this book, kids don’t just come in a variety of shapes, skin colour, hair colour, and hair styles (including corn rows!), but there is also a child wearing a hijab, one child in a wheelchair, and one child even has vitiligo. Even their class teacher is shown wearing a hijab. (That said, I don’t understand why she has been given a Western-sounding name like “Ms. Rawlinfort”. Why not grab this chance to teach kids that names from other cultures might sound different and not every name needs to be familiar to them?)

The book ends with some wonderful doable science experiments connected to the presentations made by the class during the symposium. An excellent ending to such a story.

Definitely recommended. This book is a great way of learning the importance of thinking out of the box, and would offer greater value if read accompanied by an adult. It would also be a great classroom resource for creative thinking and project handling, as long as kids don’t emulate Muriel blindly.

4 stars.

My thanks to Annick Press for providing the DRC of “The Biggest Smallest Thing” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This was a fantastic read for my STEM loving child. It challenged him to think about how small things really can have a big impact. I personally enjoyed the illustrations. My son who enjoyed the book is 5 years old, my 3 year old was a bit bored.

thank you NetGalley for the ARC
i think this is wonderful for STEM/innovation labs
i do think it missed the mark a little... i didn't feel like the story wrapped up well it just sort of ended..
i appreciate the innovative ideas, the differences between the kids ideas, the friendship trope was sort of in their on sharing and helping each other..
it was creative i just think it missed a step just a little bit.

Not only were the illustrations diverse, engaging, and adorable, the way science is described is also quite engaging! I really enjoyed that this book shows how science exists in more ways than one while highlighting the importance of creativity and open mindedness! The addition of a science experiment that can be done at home as well as explanations of the science behind what we read about in the book was really great. Even as an adult reader, this book reminded me that there are multiple ways to be great at the same thing and I enjoyed reading it. Although my daughter is a bit too young to appreciate the science, this is definitely a book we will revisit in the future.

Mo is a serious scientist. Which is just perfect for winning the Scintillating Science Symposium in his class. His classmates may have talents like running the fastest or sneezing the alphabet and his friend Muriel wants to be a cat when she grows up. But that stuff doesn't have anything to do with science, right? When Mo's experiment doesn't go the way he plans, can his classmates show him a new way of thinking?

When challenged to make something big with something small in class, the children each take their own spin on the problem. Mo is all business and has grand ideas. He wants to be a "real" scientist. His classmates lean in to their strengths and have some phenomenal ideas. Will his idea be good enough?

I loved the diversity in this book. The artwork is engaging and represents many different types of children. The book shows that there is more than one way to answer a question and that thinking outside of the box is key. I love that Muriel is and Mo remain friends despite their differences. Muriel shows that even though she may not look like a "real" scientist she has grand ideas. Her compassion with Mo is a good example for little learners. This book could be a helpful discussion started on judging others, being creative, following a plan, and being responsible.

Thank you to Annick Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I loved this adorable science picture book! The way it shares many different types of science AND has science experiments in the back is just brilliant. Kids will be so excited to give them a try. Great book!

This lovely picture book is perfect for kids who want to do and try everything. For those with big ideas and creative streaks. The kids in this class are trying their best and may just inspire your little one to do something big.

There is so much to love about this book: the STEM connection, the charming illustrations, the diverse characters, the relatability, the humor, persistence, and creativity. I can't wait to read this book with my 7-year-old!

Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really like the central idea of this book, but I just don't get the meaning or the point. Maybe the objective is the power of friendship? But that doesn't perfectly make sense, even if it is heartwarming. I thought that there was going to be something *bigger* about being a scientist or being a professional at something, since being a "pro scientist" was mentioned so often. This idea didn't appear to go anywhere, and I was pretty disappointed. However, I do like the unexpected ending of this book. It gives it a new type of freshness that is sometimes hard to achieve in children's books. Lastly, I liked the science experiment directions at the back of the book. This allows readers to get involved in the science that the book illustrates, and it helps encourage STEM exploration early on. Bravo for that aspect!

Mo is eager to create the most spectacular science project for his class, focused on impressing everyone by creating the biggest reaction. However, in his pursuit, he fails to appreciate the creativity and thoughtfulness behind his classmates' ideas. As his classmates present their projects Mo learns a lesson about the importance of creativity and not judging others' work based on first impressions.

The premise of the science project assignment, so make something big with something small, felt a bit unclear with it's wide interpretation and scope. This left some confusion about the expectations of the contest.

Overall, this story offers a meaningful message about creativity and open-mindedness, making it a great conversation starter for young readers.

❗️I can’t even begin to describe how fantastic this book is! I’m afraid I’m going to ramble, but bear with me.

🧑‍🔬 As a huge supporter of STEM/STEAM education for children, I’m thrilled that this book emphasizes all the ways a person can be a “scientist”.

👩‍🔬 The main character, Mo, is excited about an upcoming science competition. The challenge is to turn something small into something big. He thinks he’s the only serious scientist in the classroom. I mean, a girl who wants to be a cat and loves purple, a girl who bakes, a girl who plays the recorder, and a boy who likes to run races can’t possibly be “real scientists,” right? Winning the competition should be a breeze for Mo. But Mo soon learns that science is everywhere, and scientists can study a wide range of subjects.

🧑‍🍳 I loved the seemingly unconventional science examples in the book. Let me share one with you and leave the rest as a surprise when you read the book. The girl who bakes made a lemon pie with a huge meringue topping created from an egg. Baking is very much a science that involves knowledge of measurements, chemical reactions, temperature, time, and more.

🌋 I adore this book and appreciate how it introduces children to examples of science they may not have previously recognized. This book is an absolute must-have in school libraries and classrooms.

Thank you @netgalley and Annick Press for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This engaging STEAM-themed story follows Mo, a passionate young scientist determined to win this year's science competition. Confident in his own abilities, Mo believes his classmates are talented but lack his dedication to science. The plot takes an unexpected twist, leading to a surprising conclusion about who ultimately claims the prize. Filled with fun science experiments for budding young scientists, this book also features charming, vibrant illustrations that bring the story to life.

Thank you NetGalley, Annick Press, and Sara de Waal and Ana Stretcu for the early access copy of The Biggest Smallest Thing.

The Biggest Smallest Thing tells the story of Mo an elementary student who is determined to win the science fair. He feels he is more serious than some of his classmates and embarks on making the best science experiment. With creative and imaginative ideas, this story will be a great tool for elementary school students to learn how fun STEAM can be.

It was a sweet book about how something very small can turn into a very large science project. I do appreciate every child had their own approach to science, and the art and characters were all very diverse, colorful, and super adorable. I was a little torn on how the main character, Mo, treated his classmate -- but he won me over in the end. It was a tender moment where a child could learn that people are different than they are, and how they approach problems can be very different than they think, but it doesn't make them any less.

What an enchanting tale that captures the hearts of young readers! From the moment you open the book, you’re transported into a world. The illustrations are absolutely stunning, bursting with color and detail that complement the story beautifully. The storytelling is engaging and age-appropriate, with just the right balance of excitement and heart. Young readers will love following along.

Always fun to see a diverse classroom and a STEM themed picture book! Great illustrations and a sweet story about more (and less) competitive kids in a class. Every child brings unique traits and strengths. The challenge from the teacher will capture the imagination of lots of readers - what would you show that starts small but gets big? Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press for the eARC!

Perfect for preschool through 2nd grade storytime.

A class is participating in a science competition where they present their idea of something small that can become something big.

Our main character wants to grow up to be a chemist. Although unorganized and forgetful, he takes science and his processes very seriously. But the other children present a series of very clever answers to the posed question as well, highlighting that there is no one right way to be a scientist.

Each of the children have a lot of personality and quirks, which would lend itself well to becoming a series.

The illustrations are great and there is a lot of representation among the students (wheelchair, hearing device, ethnicities, weight differences, glasses, …).

For a read aloud, the events and locations are a bit tongue twistery, so prepare for that, but overall a very cute message.

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for the advanced copy.

Mo is determined to win his school's science contest because he is determined to become a scientist when he grows up. He is sure no one else is competition for him, especially his classmate Muriel. However, he soon realizes that Muriel's creativity can help him be a better scientist.

I thought this was a cute read! It was quick and easy, plus it had a great message.