Built to Last by Minh Lê (review)

Reviewed by: Built to Last by Minh Lê Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Lê, Minh Built to Last; illus. by Dan Santat. Knopf, 2024 40p Trade ed. ISBN 9780593569177 18. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593569191 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs An accidental bump sends toy blocks flying but sets the foundation for a years-long friendship between two engineering-minded kiddos. Building is better with two pairs of hands, with the visuals showing both what the kids envision their creations to be and what they actually construct. The pals create increasingly elaborate structures as they grow up, and as much as they like the building, the knocking down is just as fun. But after diligently working on their masterpiece—a mechanical flying sea turtle—only to see it come crashing down, they subsequently blame each other. Can their friendship survive the catastrophe? The metaphor is a tad overwrought, but the message is sweet, especially in its emphasis that making mistakes is not only okay but valuable in building a friendship based on acceptance, growth, and respect. The text's potential for overt treacle is tempered by the humorous, whimsical art, which visually tells the much more interesting story; for example, a giant wall (looking a lot like the Great Wall of China) is destroyed by a fearsome creature on one page, followed by the real-life scene of an adorably vicious cat taking down a bunch of tinker toys. Santat's familiar art once again draws on Chinese influences in its more fanciful scenes, with rich, bold tones and intricate textures, while colors are flatter and more distinct in the kids' reality. This could easily pull double duty as inspirations for social/emotional learning and craft projects. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois