I'M BUSY

Actor, comedian, and writer Black and illustrator Ohi team up once more, this time for the story of an overscheduled youngster who must make time to relax.

The pigtailed young girl from the creators’ previous collaborations—among them I’m Bored (2012), I’m Sad (2018), and I’m Sorry (2021)—is fretting. The child’s friends—a flamingo and a sentient potato—want to have fun. But each time her pals propose a new activity, the girl has the same response: “I’m busy.” She has coding projects to finish, science experiments to try, and trumpet practice to attend; there’s never enough time. Plus, school is starting soon, and as the youngster frantically notes, “I’ve only got twelve years before college applications are due!” (Chuckle-worthy to be sure, but also, worryingly, this statement rings true.) Luckily, the tot finds the key—balance. (“Like balancing on one leg?” the flamingo asks, hopefully.) After flopping on the ground from pure exhaustion, the child recognizes the importance of taking time for oneself and friends. Deftly expressed stylistic choices from previous works are echoed here: color-coded text, one full spread of overwhelmed yelling (filled with oversize words), and, of course, the inevitable, full-circle moment: “I’m bored.” The child’s feelings are perhaps most effectively captured on Ohi’s brilliant endpapers, where the word busy grows, multiplies and crowds the edges. The protagonist has skin the white of the page.

A sound reminder for all—both kids and the adults who are responsible for scheduling their time.