Jake's Best Thumb

A sweet and fun remedy for young readers reluctant to give up their best thumb.

Jake is an expert at doing things with his best thumb. He can walk the dog, watch TV, even ride his bike. Jake and his thumb are happy together until kindergarten begins and the class bully teases Jake, calling him“thumb sucker” Jake does‛t want to give up his habit, but with some help from a new classmate and the realization that everyone—even bullies—sometimes need a little extra help to feel brave, Jake might finally be ready to try. Quirky illustrations and a charming story will have readers cheering for winsome Jake and his best thumb.

"A familiar story line becomes unexpectedly moving in the experienced hands of Cooper (The Golden Rule) and Muoz (Just Another Morning). Kindergarten is on the horizon, and despite the concerns of his family (hipster Uncle Matt is the lone exception), Jake shows no indication of stopping his round-the-clock thumb-sucking. Why should he? 'When it came to doing things with one thumb occupied, Jake was a master,' writes Cooper (the keenly observant Muoz even shows Jake dexterously putting on a sock with a single hand). But when a kindergarten bully has everyone calling him a thumb-sucker, Jake realizes the stakes have suddenly gotten much, much higher. Cooper never rushes her storytelling — many of the pages have big chunks of text — but every word counts as she illuminates the various psychological dynamics. Her emotional acuity is a perfect match for Muoz, whose watercolors convey a seemingly effortless physicality, immediacy and empathy. Ages 3 — up. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Ilene Cooper is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, as well as a book reviewer for ALA Booklist. She lives in Chicago.

Claudio Muñoz is the illustrator of several childre‛s picture books. He lives in England.