A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

A lyrical ode to the experiences that make people who they are.

After Amaya is born, her parents repeat an affirmation to her every day: “You have a little bit of Mama in you, / and a little bit of Papa. / You have a little bit of where you go, / and a bit of who you meet. / You have a little bit of the things you do, / and a bit of who you want to be.” Sure enough, Amaya experiences many things for the first time, some concrete, such as encountering the ocean and going camping, and some intangible, such as using her imagination. And when Amaya meets her newborn sister, she introduces herself with a version of the affirmation she has embodied. Each event is described with carefully chosen imagery and sentiments, both poetic and poignant, that make clear she is maturing. Over the course of her adventures, more details emerge, including her mother’s South Asian ancestry and her father’s Chinese heritage. Saturated, watercolorlike images reminiscent of Michaela Goade’s style create a lush atmosphere that complements the graceful text, though, after babyhood, Amaya is depicted as roughly the same age throughout, a lost opportunity for showing growth over the years.

A sweet and enchanting exploration of identity.