We’ve all had a tough time dealing with change.

If this past year was any indication, we don’t always deal well with change. We rebel. We behave irrationally. We act out. Well, if there was ever a book that dealt with those complex emotions in a fun, simple way that even kids would understand Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes, he did.) is that book. In this lovely picture book by Ryan T. Higgins (best known for his Bruce books including the recent The Bruce Swap) Norman is a porcupine whose best friend is Mildred – a tree. But when another tree literally pops up next to Mildred, Norman panics. Afraid this NEW tree will change his orderly world, Norman goes to extraordinary lengths to solve the problem. Eventually, Norman understands change doesn’t have to be bad. In fact, it can be good if we take time to think things through. A lesson many people could stand to learn – and not just kids!

Again, Ryan’s art is impeccable. His attention to detail is astounding. And his characters make you wish they made plushies out of them so you could hug them in real life. His stories are cute and like the best stories, they are multi-layered so both kids and adults will find different details to engage them and make them smile. What makes Ryan’s work so classic is he deals with complex issues in fun ways that are easy to grasp. His stories reflect US. And his resolutions are typically toward kindness, generosity, and love. If those are the qualities you hope to instill in your own children, books like Norman Didn’t Do It! are perfect for you! Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for this one in particular as it

Title: Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes, he did.)
Author: Ryan T. Higgins
Cost: $17.99 ($14.99 pre-order on Amazon)
Age: 3-5
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide
Genre: Picture book

• Thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the advance copy! Opinions are my own and this one is a gem