Once upon a time an online reader copy showed up in my daily activities. Winning it in a reader copy grab has nothing to do with my feelings when I write my review of Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind and illustrated by Kelly Mangan. This due in April 2025 book has many pluses, but also a few minuses.
I will start with the first plus: Our character of the story, Eleanor, is named after the historical Eleanor Roosevelt. Story-Eleanor wants to do good things like that Eleanor. She wants to be a friend and ally and stand up for what is right. But she does not know how to most of the time. Which is where the first negative comes from. I would have liked her to find ways to help each of the situations that come up, not just the last one. Yes, the last one is important because we need to be the ally to the nonbinary child, but the situations leading up to the big moment are this same issue and by using the little ways to help, she could build up the courage and strength needed to tackle the bigger one.
Then there is the fact that the book is trying to be inclusive, which is a big plus. But we’ve seen that before. We’ve seen two mixed-race dads before. The fact they are modern helps, but feels a little pushy (one dad has a tattoo. Did he really need it or was there other ways to promote that sentiment the tattoo represents?) Therefore, when we finally get to the big moment where Elenor knows what to do and say to help a classmate, we have a mix of what has been seen and a bit of new. In the end, I was not wowed by the story but it is a good and important one that is needed today.
Now, to address the illustrations. There is always one question I ask when it comes to illustrations I have regardless if I like them or not. “Can I appreciate the work that went into them?” And the answer here is Yes. There was a lot of thought and work that went into them. But the slight “offness” to them makes them not my favorite. Things felt blurry. The colors were a bit crayon-paint tone. They work for the story/theme, by helping things to feel more positive and have a smidgen of spirit to it. Plus, that upbeatness to them lets a happy, positive feeling arise.
To summarize: This is a good theme that should be out there and should be read. Was it a personal favorite? Not exactly, but I wouldn’t kick it out of bed for eating cookies (as long as the book shared those cookies).
