Can You See Me?: A Book about Feeling Small

For kids starting to think about their place in the world, here’s a unique look at point of view. Being small — or big — is not always what we think it is! We all know which things are big, and which are small, right? Buildings, streets, cities: big. Paper clips, daisies, teaspoons: small. But are they really? Or do things look different, depending on who’s doing the looking? Take an orangutan. To a human, it’s small, like a child. But to a flea, it’s gigantic! And imagine how scary a chicken looks to an ant! In this unconventional and original introduction to the idea of perspective, children learn the importance of recognizing that everyone has their own way of seeing things. And how, though bigness is in the eye of the beholder, all of us are just the right size!

Goekce Irten’s quirky and innovative picture book provides a fun way for young children to explore the world through the eyes of those who see it quite differently than they do. It could be used to spark discussions on feeling small, or big, in the world, and on both empathy for others and self-acceptance. Mixing drawings, photographs and collage, Irten’s distinctive art brings a lighthearted touch to the pages. Comparative facts about the smallest animals — if you could jump as high as a flea, you could reach the top of the Eiffel Tower! — encourage respect for the countless tiny creatures in the world, many of whom have characteristics far more impressive than ours.