Enough is... - Jessica Whipple - ★★★★.½

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AUTHOR: Jessica Whipple

ILLUSTRATOR: Nicole Wong
GENRE: Children's Picture Book
RATING: 4.5 Stars.

In a Nutshell: A brilliant picture book that focusses on the importance of ‘Enough’.

In a life that is dictated by ‘More’ and ‘Most’, and where every decision is dominated by ‘Want’ rather than ‘Need’, we have forgotten that there is something called ‘Enough’. But is Enough really enough in today’s world where we are spoilt for choice and bombarded with ‘New’ and ‘Better’ products everywhere we look and go? This book subtly tries to remind us of the relevance of ‘Enough’ and getting the difference between an ‘I want’ and an ‘I need’.

The content works on two levels. We have the beautiful prose, reiterating the importance of Enough and stressing that Enough doesn’t mean Less. Furthermore, we have the illustrations that narrates a story parallel to but not the same as the text. They depict a little girl who is surrounded by friends who have plenty while she has to be content with enough. Does she realise that she has enough, or will she keep wanting more from her mother?

This is an amazing book, and so relevant to modern times. With so many parents using material gifts as a substitute for their time and presence, this comes as a timely reminder to both parent and child that less can be more, and enough can be enough.

The story becomes a bit too abstract at times, with some sentences being too convoluted for young kids. However, as it offers several avenues for discussion, I hope the high comprehension requirement won’t stand in the way of imbibing the message. The ending was a bit too abrupt for my liking; I turned the page wanting more, which was kinda ironic after reading a book about being satisfied with ‘Enough.’

The illustrations were nice, with the artwork being in sombre pastel shades that worked well in sync with the words. Moreover, there are hidden bears and bunnies on almost every page. Kids will have a lot of fun looking for the hidden animals, and hopefully they will happily find ‘enough’, wink wink!

Definitely recommended despite my misgivings about the ending. This is a message every little one and their parent ought to remember, the importance of ‘wants’ vs. ‘needs’ and of being happy with ‘enough.’ I will certainly look forward to more works by this debut author.

The book is intended for readers aged 6-8 years.

My thanks to Tilbury House Publishers and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “Enough is”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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