PreS-Gr 2—Sadie is a young girl with a flourishing imagination that can transform a boring old box into an enormous boat on the high seas. She has loads of friends, some real and some she's met in the pages of a good book. In fact, it is Sadie's relationship with her books that form the basis for this charming tale. Every new scene demonstrates to young readers how books can be the gateway to fantastical worlds. There are clever nods to such children's classics as Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book, and Sadie's enthusiasm and joy in making the everyday extraordinary is a worthy message. This award-winning duo beautifully convey the magic that is to be found in reading or listening to a story. The appealing text is accompanied by lush drawings rendered in gouache, ink, and Photoshop that lend it a fanciful feel in the best way possible. With its leisurely pace and verdant illustrations, this book is a delight for bedtime as well as an excellent storytime choice paired with Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon and Peter Bently's King Jack and the Dragon (Dial, 2011). VERDICT A wonderful purchase for all collections.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, St. Joseph, MI

"When we meet Sadie, the heroine of this elegant tribute to the inner life of an imaginative girl, she is sitting in a cardboard box. But wait — O’Leary quickly has Sadie herself weigh in to clarify: “Sadie says she’s not inside the box at all. ‘I’m on an enormous boat,’ she says, ‘crossing a wide, wide sea.’” With playful moves like that, O’Leary puts Sadie at the center of her own story, and invites her audience to follow Sadie’s lead. “Sadie has wings, of course,” we learn — “Maybe you have them too. Have you checked?” In Morstad’s quietly delightful gouache and watercolor illustrations, black-haired Sadie looks both delicate and strong, pretty and at times androgynous. She’s a mermaid and “a boy raised by wolves,” howling at the moon; she carefully chooses dresses and artfully hammers nails into wood. It’s an appealingly rounded glimpse of girlhood that’s somehow both timeless and modern."�—The�New York Times

"As in previous collaborations like�When You Were Small�and�Where You Came From, O’Leary and Morstad put forth a playful, imagination-first portrait of childhood, introducing a girl named Sadie who is equally at home in the expanses of her mind as she is in the outside world. Striking an irreverent tone from the first page (“This is Sadie. No, not that. That’s a box. Sadie is inside the box”), O’Leary follows her raven-haired heroine as she sets sail in the aforementioned cardboard box, spends the day with friends (“Some of them live on her street, and some live in the pages of books”), and inserts herself into the stories she reads."�—Publishers Weekly

"This award-winning duo beautifully convey the magic that is to be found in reading or listening to a story. The appealing text is accompanied by lush drawings rendered in gouache, ink, and Photoshop that lend it a fanciful feel in the best way possible. With its leisurely pace and verdant illustrations, this book is a delight for bedtime as well as an excellent storytime choice paired with Crockett Johnson’s�Harold and the Purple Crayon�and Peter Bently’s�King Jack and the Dragon�(Dial, 2011).�VERDICT�A wonderful purchase for all collections."�—School Library Journal

"Sadie is a young girl who revels in the power of her imagination and is not limited by silly things like traditional gender constructs. The dynamic duo of O'Leary and Morstad have crafted a quiet but powerful celebration of childhood with a heroine that is a role model for boys and girls alike. Readers should be prepared to reserve a special place on their shelves -- and in their hearts -- for the incomparable Sadie."�—Huffington Post

"Morstad's soft-palette illustrations engage perfectly with O'leary's text creating a whimsical kid-centred picture book that will be enjoyed by both children and adults. With something new to discover upon each encounter,�This is Sadie�is sure to become a favourite bedtime read."�—Quill and Quire

"With the picture book�This Is Sadie, Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad team up to introduce us to a girl of great imagination. Rather than plotting a linear storyline for her heroine, O’Leary offers us a character sketch of a girl uninhibited by adult limitations."�—Montreal Review of Books

"Sadie’s days are never long enough, and readers may feel the same way about this story: It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and every moment is a pleasure. And don’t forget to remove the book jacket to see the surprise waiting on the cover.�Here’s hoping for more of Sadie’s adventures in the future."�—Book Page

"What kind of reader is it for?�This is a story for those with a deep love of stories."—Buzzfeed
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"This is Sadie�is an irresistible book filled with a charm that entrances and a heroine that is unforgettable. Sara O’Leary’s fine narrative is sublimely complemented by the exceptional and aesthetically appealing art of Julie Morstad. Don’t miss this one! It is delightful."—Canadian Review of Materials