American Library Association“Compelling artwork…stunning….Deftly captures a child’s sense of wonder at the vastness of the world.”— Kirkus Reviews ( "Whimsic
American Library Association Batchelder Honor Book (2024)
“Compelling artwork…stunning….Deftly captures a child’s sense of wonder at the vastness of the world.”— Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
"Whimsical illustrations...[a springboard for imaginative flights."— Booklist
"Gorgeous." — Foreword Reviews
A playful, humorous look at being small but dreaming big. As a child and her mother walk up to the swimming pool, she dreams about everything she’ll do when she’s older. Maybe she’ll dance with jellyfish. Maybe she’ll fly to Saturn in a space rocket. She could even play with the monster under her bed! But for now, she’ll have to face that terrifyingly tall diving board…
With alliterative language and explosively colorful illustrations,
When I’m Big is an amusing journey through all sorts of fantastical futures. As readers travel to tropical rainforests, the North Pole, and beyond, they will start to dream about what their tomorrows could bring.
The Children’s Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year List - Under Five (2024)
The Wall Street Journal
"Vibrant . . . offers endearing consolation for children ages 3-7 who, in the manner of St. Augustine, fully intend to live up to their potential at some point, but 'not just yet.'"
Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“Deftly captures a child’s sense of wonder at the vastness of the world.”
Foreword Reviews
“Gorgeous watercolor illustrations utilize bright washes of color and simple black ink lines to depict the child’s grand desires—cleaning the teeth of tigers, sleeping in haunted castles, diving with a mermaid—before she determines that, for now, she’s comfortable exactly where she is.”
Booklist
“The girl’s dauntless spirit shines through all her fantasies in this springboard for imaginative flights.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“For fans of Cornwall's Jabari Jumps looking for a bit more whimsy, this is it.”
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Bette Westera has written over fifty books for children, including novels, picture books, and poetry collections. She has also translated books by Dr. Seuss, Astrid Lindgren, and Julie Donaldson into the Dutch language. Bette lives in the Netherlands, where her books have received two Golden Pencil awards and six Silver Pencil honors. Visit her website at bettewestera.nl.
Mattias de Leeuw is a Belgian illustrator and writer whose books have received the Flemish Boekenplum award and the Dutch Golden Palette award. He is the founder of the Drawing Factory, an Antwerp-based creative hub that offers classes for artists of all ages.
Later, When I’m Big is his North American debut. Follow Mattias on Instagram at @mattiasdeleeuw and visit his website at mattiasdeleeuw.com.
Laura Watkinson translates books for children and adults from Dutch, German, and Italian. Her translations have received numerous honors, including three Mildred L. Batchelder Awards and the Vondel Translation Prize. She is the founder of the Dutch chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SBCWI). Laura lives in Amsterdam. Visit her website at
laurawatkinson.com.
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