Muth, Jon J. Stillwater and Koo Save the World . Jon J. Muth, Illustrator. Scholastic. 02/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. GRADES Preschool – 2. OUTSTANDING. $16.99. 978-1-338-81231-2.
The newest pairing of young haiku-speaking Koo and his wise, gentle giant Zenderhearted Uncle Stillwater starts with a good morning stretch, a comforting waffle breakfast, and a tall order. Uncle asks his nephew what he would like to do, and Koo exuberantly exclaims, “Something important!/Fix all the things that are wrong./Let us save the world!” Starting small, sagacious Stillwater guides Koo through mundane tasks, from cleaning the kitty litter box and feeding the fish to baking a welcoming cake for the new brown-skinned human neighbors. As Koo wonders if saving the world is possible, Stillwater reminds his little nephew that healing the world starts with the smallest acts of kindness. Tranquil, softly-rendered watercolor˗and˗pencil illustrations convey the universal, loving, empathetic, and enduring message, “Each time you do something good, you save the world a little bit.”
Karen Quest—Mill Valley Public Library