from Deborah:

This is pretty much the perfect children's book. It reminds me of how it is so easy as a child to blend in the necessary work of dealing with picking out clothes and accommodating "old" people's need for quiet with an imagination that sends you sailing in a cardboard box and blending your life with your favorite characters from books. The illustrations are brilliantly conceived. Sadie's everyday world is cheerful and complex with bright components scattered across white pages, and yet her inner world is lush, soaked in color. This is a book to take the tarnish of adulthood off. ( )

A pretty book about a pretty girl's pretty imagination. Boring as all get out. Not to be sexist, but the tendencies will be thus: women will gush, men & boys will refuse, some girls might like the metaphors of 'diving into a book' etc.... ( )

A beautifully illustrated children’s book about stories, imagination, creativity, and being yourself. This was just charming to read! If I ever have kids I want to read this to them. 💜 ( )

A beautiful celebration of childhood and imagination. I loved it! ( )

A lovely book about Sadie, who has a wonderful imagination. ( )

Lovely illustrations depicting a day in the life of a young girl and the power of stories.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

I liked this book. I think I will try it for story time. The story is sweet and gentle and presents a message about using your imagination. Pretty pictures and soothing words. ( )

Oh my heart! I love Julie Morstead's intricate, funny, engaging images and Sara O'Leary's sense of humor. It's a quiet book, but is storytelling and imagination at its best. ( )

Author Sara O'Leary and illustrator Julie Morstad introduce us to Sadie in this lovely Canadian picture-book, detailing the imaginative young girl's many activities and games. From playing with friends down the street to those found in her beloved books, from turning boxes into sailing ships to becoming a mermaid, Sadie's imagination carries her everywhere she wants to go...

I initially tracked This Is Sadie down because I wanted to see more of illustrator Julie Morstad's work, after enjoying her art in such titles as Kyo Maclear's It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way and Julie Fogliano's When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons. The cover image here, of a girl in what looks to be a fox mask, was also a draw, given my interest in fox stories for children. I was not disappointed in the visuals here, finding them absolutely magical - the make-believe scenes were best, I think, with their deeply-colored backgrounds - and I thought that Sara O'Leary's simple descriptive text was well-matched to the artwork. This is a lovely depiction of the role of imaginative play in a young child's life, and it struck a chord with me, given my own games of make-believe, at a similar age. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for beautifully-illustrated stories celebrating childhood imagination and play. ( )

Sadie lives her life to the fullest and is unapologetically herself. Her imagination and stories take her all over the world and let her be whoever she wants to be. Sadie is a role model for all, she shows the power within stories and one’s imagination and how freeing it is to be who you want to be. The messages this story conveys are many and contain many layers. I think everyone, young and old, can find a way to relate to this story and find their own message within it. ( )

I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I think that the book has really interactive/fun illustrations, and a solid message about the imagination of a child's mind. "This is Sadie" allows readers to follow her imagination as it takes her to different places, or allows her to be different things. The book starts off well with a developing plot about Sadie's imaginative day, but then I believe it gets very choppy and random - it almost doesn't make sense. I think the book is intending to list all the things that Sadie has "been"' in the past, but it just comes off very abrupt and unorganized, as I thought the plot was going to follow Sadie's day. There is no emotion tied to the book, or really any hook to draw readers in. While it is a book about creativity, the text within the book is pretty bland itself. ( )

I love the art and message in this book. I read it to my daughter right when we got it and she liked it too. The construction is sturdy and should hold up to an enthusiastic 20 month old. I like this a lot. ( )

This is Sadie is a book about imagination. Sadie lives underwater, sails on a boat, and even has wings. Her days are too short because there is so much to do. This book can encourage students that even if they are small, they can have a big imagination. I did not understand when the author mentioned, "she lives in books", until I went back to the pages to look at the illustrations. When she was in Wonderland, being the heroes in the story, and being a boy living with wolves are all from stories. I love how the author makes Sadie a character from the books she reads. O'Leary puts different stories into Sadie's stories. ( )

Great illustrations in this board book, it's possible every parent with a child named Sadie will go out and get the book for their child. Looks like there is plenty to engage with on each page and it would be easy to draw the child reading it in by asking questions about what is seen and by what Sadie is doing. ( )

This is a beautiful picture book which we knew from the library. When we requested the board book from the Early Reviewer program, we were curious about two things:

1. How was the transition to the shorter, smaller format? (Successful.)

2. Would baby like it? (Not yet. Currently she believes the purpose of all books is to be closed.)

A sweet book with references to classic children's literature that parents will like. The story aims to encourage kids to use their imagination. I liked the idea, but it hasn't quite captivated my 2-year-old son. The illustrations are well done. ( )

Beautiful story. Sadie imagines herself as many different things. The art is lovely. Both my 2 and 6 year old daughters loved the story and the pictures. ( )

A charming story about a girl who is many, many things all rolled into one. Sadie imagines herself in a wide variety of different roles. I liked how they were not all strictly feminine, one moment she is a mermaid, but the next she is a dashing hero ready to save the day. The art is truly lovely in this book, it's understated but also highly expressive, and there are lots of little details to look for on each page. This would be a great book for even very young children. The words in this story are few, but the visuals are lively enough to engage any reader. ( )

This book follows the daily life of a young girl as she lives life to the fullest thanks to her imagination. Sadie uses the power of her mind to take everyday activities, situations, and interactions to new heights. She is unrestrained by normal constraints of place or age due to her imagination. The artwork pops in the eyes and the reader can actually feel the explosions of ideas and colors from Sadie's mind just looking at it while following the text. A fun book that is visually playful and powerful at the same time.

It is not a criticism but the review should acknowledge that the idea of imagination taking one places denied them for any reason, the power of the mind, and the wonders of thought is not a new one, especially in board book/children's book format. This book does do it better than many due in no small part to the art.

It is easy to imagine a young reader's face get the far-away, bright eyed look while picturing themselves in Sadie's shows. Strong work and quite endearing. ( )

Charming board book about an imaginative little girl who spends her days with real and imaginary friends.

This is a charming story about a young girl who entertains herself in the morning while the adults are asleep. She turns a box into a boat and sails around her room, then cleans up and then spends the day imagining she's in different books in different places. This is a great book to share with preschool age children and early grade readers. ( )

I read this immediately upon opening it. A charming and simple story but one with imagination. The art work is colourful and imaginative. I can't wait to read it to my Great-Gran-Son. He loves to be read to and he will enjoy 'reading' this himself. Sturdy cardboard pages means no tears or rips.

I like that encourages children to use their imaginations to play and entertain themselves. That there is no limit in this either. It will be entertaining for both of us. ( )

I love the art and message in this book. I read it to my daughter right when we got it and she liked it too. The construction is sturdy and should hold up to an enthusiastic 20 month old. I like this a lot. ( )

A whimsical boardbook about a little girl who explores different places and things by reading books and using her imagination. It's fun and positive with some eclectic springtime illustrations that are both beautiful and unique.

LT Early Reviewer ( )

This is a really cute book about a girl with an active imagination. The lovely illustrations show us some of the things that she has been in her mind (mermaid, Mad Hatter, etc.), and some of her daily activities (reading, tree-climbing, pretending she has wings, etc.). Makes me miss being a kid! If there's one thing kids don't need to be taught, it's how to have an imagination, which is why this book is a celebration rather than a how-to.

(In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received this book for free through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I was not required to write a positive review.) ( )