I'm Longer Than You!: An Epic Contest of Measurement

Written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1294-6

48 pp.

Ages 5–8

September 2025 

 

With school just getting back into the swing of things, I've been on a bit of a non-fiction run lately. But there's so many wonderful books out there, for different young audiences, to inform and entertain that there is no shortage of new books to review. I'm Longer Than You is a different kind of math picture book in that it focuses on measurement and comparisons for the early reader kids at school i.e., Kindergarten to Grade 3.

From I'm Longer Than You!, written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher

In Carolyn Fisher's new picture book—she has previously illustrated a number of books for others like Summer Feet and Weeds Find a Way, as well as written and illustrated her own including Cells: An Owner's Handbook—a Supersaurus dinosaur and a blue whale argue about which animal is the longest. What's the easiest way to determine who's right? An inchworm suggests measuring them. So, the little worm gets to work.

From I'm Longer Than You!, written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher

But after 12 hours of measuring the blue whale–it's 1300 inches long—it's time for it to pupate and leaves the two competitors at a loss. In comes the centipede who measures exactly one centimeter. Now the Supersaurus and the blue whale, salivating for the lunch the winner would get, wait for the centipede to do its work. Twelve hours later, the Supersaurus is also measured but in centimeters. With a little math and conversion between units, the contest is resolved.

From I'm Longer Than You!, written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher

What a fun way to introduce measurement, systems of measurement, comparison and conversion between units! Carolyn Fisher has found a way to tell a story—and a funny one at that with the contest between two humongous animals—and introduce several math concepts that might be hard to grasp easily. Measuring is a complex concept, and she takes it from its most basic, i.e., how to measure, through the different ways people measure things and what units to use and then to conversion. As such, I'm Longer Than You! can be used for our youngest readers just being introduced to units of measurement to middle graders who are learning conversion.

From I'm Longer Than You!, written and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher

As a non-fiction book, I'm Longer Than You! is anything but dry. It's educational but quirky in its delivery of information. With her illustrations which are hand-drawn on a tablet, Carolyn Fisher makes this a true picture book, albeit an information book embedded in a story. Her art is colourful and bold, and the organization of information, whether it's the true rendering of the inchworm and centipede's sizes or the decision tree to pick appropriate units based on size—after all, using an inchworm or a centipede for these enormous animals was unwieldy—is accessible and presented with clarity and playfulness.

 

I know primary teachers will love using this book to introduce the concept of measurement, but it will be an entertaining starter for any lessons on measurement. Kids will love the contest and comparing animals—this could be a great scaffolding story for lessons on the diversity of living things—but they'll get a fabulous introduction to measurement and some related math concepts like conversion between metric and imperial units. It's a win-win for the Supersaurus, the blue whale, and the kids who get to read or hear the story in I'm Longer Than You!

The Better Tree Fort

Written by Jessica Scott Kerrin

Illustrated by Qin Leng

Groundwood Books

978-1-55498-863-1

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

March 2018

Tree houses offer children a refuge from the everyday, a place to dream and create, to escape and grow, and to be whomever they choose, imaginary or their true selves.  But imagine if the building of that tree fort and sharing of it was a shared experience between father and son.  How much better is that true fort than a castle in the sky?

From The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin, illus. by Qin Leng

 When Russell and his dad move to a new house with a massive maple tree in the backyard, the child suggests they build a tree fort.  Russell’s dad is obviously not a handy man with wood and tools and it takes many trips to the lumber and hardware store and much guidance from others for him to construct the tree fort.  Though it doesn’t have the special features Russell had in his plans like a balcony, slide, skylight and basket for hauling, Russell declares it to be perfect.

From The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin, illus. by Qin Leng

Then, three houses down, a construction crew marches in and constructs a larger and more elaborate tree fort with all the bells and whistles.  Russell makes the acquaintance of Warren, the boy whose father had ordered the plans and hired the crew, and is invited in to view the spectacular house in the tree.  But is it really a better tree fort than Russell’s?

From The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin, illus. by Qin Leng

Jessica Scott Kerrin’s message is not really about tree forts.  It’s about relationships, specifically a father and son relationship, and how nothing–not something bigger, better, bolder–could ever compensate for that unique connection and special bond.  Russell’s dad is not the kind who would pay someone to make his son’s dreams come true.  He’s the kind who tries to do it himself, no matter how arduous the task or clumsy and unimpressive the results.  This father and son don’t need to bling out a tree fort when they can enjoy the simple pleasures of peanut butter and jam sandwiches , birding from the open window, or sleeping in bags on the floor.  Warren has no idea no much he’s missing in his “better” tree fort.

I have reviewed numerous books illustrated by Qin Leng and she continues to astound me with the astuteness of her artwork for interpreting the text.  In The Better Tree Fort, Qin Leng’s ink, watercolour and pencil crayon illustrations lend an innocence of task and purpose to the story, making the building of the fort by father for son an intimate endeavour.  The construction of Warren’s turreted tree fort lacks the tenderness of relationship.  Not surprising, when Russell’s dad acknowledges that “There will always be a better tree fort,” Russell knows that it’s his father that is the best component of all.

From The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin, illus. by Qin Leng

Wild One

Written by Jane Whittingham

Illustrated by Noel Tuazon

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-036-9

24 pp.

Ages 2-5

November, 2017

From morning to bedtime, this little girl is go, go, go!  She's not just a wild thing, she's the Wild One!

From Wild One 

by Jane Whittingham 

illus. by Noel Tuazon

The story of Wild One is told as a series of daily activities: going to the park, playing with friends, climbing monkey bars, swimming, running, eating and preparing for bed. On each page, front and back, the young girl is doing something that is then compared to an action of an animal on the opposite side of the page.  She stretches like a cat, hangs from the monkey bars like a bat, swims like a guppy but trudges home, reluctantly, like a snail.  Regardless of the animals she emulates during the day and evening, she is her parents' wild one to whom they affectionately say goodnight in the final illustration.

From Wild One 

by Jane Whittingham

 illus. by Noel Tuazon

Wild One is Jane Whittingham's first picture book and it's a charming recount of a child's day filled with play and activity. Kids love pretending that they are animals–how often do they imagine themselves to be bears growling or dogs barking or snakes slithering?–but here Jane Whittingham demonstrates, playfully, that we belong in the animal kingdom, sharing many attributes with animals far and wide.  (I know Wild One is not a commentary on animal classification or our position within it, but I think a wise teacher would find a way to incorporate Wild One into a great lesson about the characteristics of living things.)

Toronto artist Noel Tuazon may be a name unfamiliar to me but he has several books under his illustrating belt including picture books and graphic novels and does art for magazines, comics and Nelvana Studios.  His style here is appropriately light, subtle and simple, as complements the story of a preschooler's life.  The detail is unnecessary as the pairing of an activity with an animal is all that is needed, especially for the very young for whom this book is written. (Pajama Press' soft padded cover with rounded corners is perfect for them and those fortunate enough to hold it,)  It is only in the final illustration of the child sleeping in her room that we see the mayhem of a day well lived.

From Wild One 

by Jane Whittingham 

illus. by Noel Tuazon

Wild One may be about the little girl being one but the last words belong to the child's parents who bid her goodnight in a rhyme that resonates like a lullaby. After all, she is their wild one and loved no matter whether a cat, a bear or a snail.



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Check out tomorrow's post about the book launch for Wild One in Vancouver on November 4, 2017.