Just Right

PreS-Gr 3–Toby, a young boy with light brown skin and dark curly hair, gazes at a store wall displaying colorful, patterned socks. He thoughtfully chooses pairs for his loving, attentive uncle and his emotionally distant dad, who is hard to please. When Toby’s dad receives his socks, he tosses the gift aside with disinterest and returns to his phone. Ma comforts a disheartened Toby: “If a person ain’t right, they won’t make you feel right. But to the right people, who you are and what you do are just right.” Knowing where he feels just right, Toby visits his uncle’s shop, El Tio Auto Repair. Toby presents his gift to his uncle, who receives the socks joyfully, sweeping Toby up for a hug. “You the gift. You more than enough. These socks? They extra.” Maldonado’s debut picture book is an uplifting demonstration of the impact a supportive and attentive grown-up can have on a child’s resilience amidst challenging family dynamics. The first-person narration pulls readers into Toby’s emotional experience and makes plain the depth of his feelings of both rejection and acceptance. Digitally enhanced pencil sketches are lively and boldly colored, expertly conveying the emotions of characters through facial expressions and body language, a hallmark of Martínez’s illustrations.