I have never seen an Echo but through Al Rodin’s masterly rendition he created the most endearing vision of sounds of nature and the world reached from a confined cave. The arrival of Max searching for treasure, almost lost his life and it was little Echo who saved Max from a hungry bear. I enjoyed the short story about Little Echo and her bravery. But I know that I could not read this book with my little one because of the illustrations. Don’t get me wrong, I find the portrayal of Little Echo very accurate. The super big ears are adorable! But the surroundings and dangers of the cave with the dark colours are frightening. And as a parent of a very sensitive and imaginative child, I just know that we would not make it through the book without a tear.

I rarely read children's novels but the illustration and the title caught my eye that I just had to request for it! So glad I got a chance to read it. Andrea MacDonald, Editorial Director at Puffin Picture Books, bought world rights for Little Echo, the story of a lonelyecho who lives in a cave, from Cecilia de la Campa, head of global licensing at Writer's House, on behalf of Lindsay Auld, Rodin's agent. Part of a two-book deal, Little Echo will publish in April 2021.

A genuinely charming story of a little boy playing in a cave, and the small echo who wanted to play too--instead of just echoing. Little Echo lives in a cave. She constantly echoes what she hears, but she can't seem to find her own voice. Lonely and shy, she comes across Max, a boy searching for lost treasure. Together, they go a journey of bravery and friendship. It has richly textured pictures, with layered brushstrokes of meadow and thunderstorm, and animals conjured in a few fine lines. The Times Best Books for Children 2023 Emily Ann Davison is a mother by day and a children’s writer by night. Having spent many years working with children, she discovered a love of picture books and began writing her own.

This beautifully written and illustrated book serves the dual purpose of explaining echos and dealing with being shy. It will make a great bedtime story. Highly recommended!Interesting way to show little kids how echoes work. And a good way to talk about gaining confidence and making friends. The illustrations were interesting (the cross section of the caves was my favourite!) The author/illustrator, Al Rodin, is not the best at drawing (in my opinion), but his creativity and use of texture is delightful! Little Echo is a beautifully illustrated picture book. I read it to my 6 year old daughter and she loved it! This is a story about a little echo who is shy and hides away. But then she meets a boy and as she helps him, she finds a friend and discovers her voice. I thought this book had a very positive message and I’m glad I shared it with my daughter. Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books and Netgalley for blessing me with this eARC in exchange for a honest review. Now that I have my very own copy, I’m so excited to be able to share my thoughts about it with the world. Because it is just delightful! I truly think this is such a special book. Al’s illustrations are so bold and expressive. They have such a timeless feel to them.