The Overlook Book

This was a wonderful visual that served as a catalyst for my 5 year old to ask lots of questions about different life situations. We even read it a second time to see what new changes we could find in each picture and related it to how we might perceive or be able to see one thing but there may be a list of issues in someone’s life that we are completely unaware of.
It prompted a nice discussion about how what we present outwardly to the world isn’t always accurate or representative of how we are feeling on the inside. And we also talked about how simple kindness and compassion goes a long way - you never know what someone is going through in their daily life and kindness is one of the ways you can always put your best foot forward.
My daughter recognized the loneliness associated with lack of support in the “initial view” perspectives but we talked about how if the characters were real they would be friends with each other, okay together, help one another.
I think this is a wonderful book to help children grow more compassionate for others.

A wonderful selection of scenarios where different perspectives can add to the overall story.

The examples are relatable and the art style is simple enough for children to fill in the blanks.

The text is clear and the language choice is great.

I would use this for teaching POV in writing.

I love the message of this book. What I loved more was the pictures. The illustrations were creative and really rounded out the message that by looking at things differently we can see new things and have new experiences.

A beautiful, and unusual, picture book that asks readers to explore new perspectives both literally and emotionally. As the gentle rhymes ask the reader to pay attention to their world and the detailed images turn the familiar into the fantastical, the emotional meaning of each image shifts as the change in visual perspective.

As the story moves from playgrounds to living rooms, from oceans to community gatherings, it encourages readers to explore their own family traditions and community spaces from a new angle. While young children might enjoy creating their own "overlooked" art or hunting for the hearts scattered across the pages of the book, older readers will enjoy the encouragement to explore and shift the larger world around them. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this wonderful arc.

The Overlook Book is a book about perspectives; how the overlook changes your mood, your understanding, and also the readers' POV for others in various situations.
The art style is not something I would normally go for, but I loved it. It was fresh and an ideal fit for this book.
I will read this again with my child.
The themes are 5/5.

I loved this book! I had never read anything like it, and it left a deep impression in me.

I think this idea of presenting situations from different perspectives to help us see the whole picture is genius. And it can help children be more aware that their perspective may not be the only one, and they may be missing stuff.