School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Jackson, a young rabbit, has a giant crush on Cami, a bunny in his class, but he's too shy to tell her he likes her. Instead, he leaves her a flower, candy, and a giant valentine. But when another boy also seems taken with her, Jackson suffers a crisis of confidence, until his best friend sets him straight. This sweet story addresses crushes in grade school terms, with the focus ultimately on the friendship of the two boys, which gives Jackson the wherewithal to pick up on Cami's cues, and they "play two-person soccer all recess long." Sweet's watercolor, gouache, and mixed-media illustrations are sunny and expressive, and bring the characters and their world to life. The lighthearted pictures are a perfect match for the breezy text.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Newbery Honor author Choldenko touches on themes from her earlier picture books-shyness (Louder, Lili) and being too tall or short (How to Make Friends with a Giant)-in this story about Jackson, the rabbit with the titular giant crush. Narration comes from Jackson's unnamed best friend, who watches as Jackson's budding feelings for a fellow student, Cami, are overshadowed by the antics of a loud-mouthed, attention-stealing classmate. With some encouragement from his friend ("If you're going to like a girl, Jackson, you have to at least tell her"), Jackson makes his move, and it pays off. Both Choldenko's spot-on playground dialogue and Sweet's characteristically loose and lighthearted mixed-media artwork show an abundance of empathy (and a dash of humor) when it comes to matters of the heart. Ages 5-8. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
