Book Review of Big Blue
The Children’s Book Review
Big Blue
Written by JQ Sirls
Illustrated by Luis San Vicente
Ages: 4-8 | 46 Pages
Publisher: World of Fantoria (2025) | ISBN-13: 9798991482707
What to Expect: Imagination, dreams, self-acceptance, resilience, empathy.
Thoughtful, emotional, and visually bold, Big Blue encourages readers of all sizes to hold onto their biggest dreams.
What if you were a dream too big to be seen? In Big Blue, author JQ Sirls and illustrator Luis San Vicente bring readers an unforgettable tale of imagination and identity, told through the eyes of Big—a 90-foot-tall, blue-hued dream who longs to be noticed in a world made for the small.
While pint-sized dreams find their dreamers, turn blue, and then light up the world with pops of golden glow, Big remains practically hidden in the grayscale background, not by choice, but because no one believes in something so large. He tries to shrink, to camouflage, to fit in with the three-foot crowd—but nothing works. The sadness in Big’s expressive eyes, rendered in dark-speckled textures and shadowy tones, contrasts with the cheerfully vibrant blue of the smaller dreams, whose brightness carries just a hint of exclusion.
But when someone finally sees Big—not just with their eyes but with their heart—everything begins to shift. What unfolds is a gentle, uplifting story about staying true to yourself, trusting the journey, and how one spark of belief can light the way for even the biggest dreams.
Luis San Vicente’s artwork is as layered and emotional as the story itself. The oversized picture book format is a perfect canvas for showcasing the stark contrasts between isolation and hope, smallness and grandeur, gloom and color. Simply put, the illustrations are engaging from start to finish.
This story doesn’t just make the unimaginable imaginable—it makes it tangible. Big Blue is a standout for bedtime reading, classroom discussions about emotional growth, or a gift to anyone learning to trust in their path.
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About the Author
JQ Sirls is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, and author who thrives at the nexus of arts, craft, and design. His works are imbued with a profound sense of imagination and curiosity, consistently inspiring both adults and young people.
With a unique perspective, JQ challenges the boundaries that typically separate projects for adults from those for children, urging a collective enthusiasm across age groups. He delves into the profound task of preserving a child’s innate sense of wonder while simultaneously crafting pathways for adults to rediscover the world through a childlike lens.
About the Illustrator
Luis San Vicente is the mastermind behind wild monsters, mischievous ghosts, and the occasional red-nosed witch. Obsessed with ink, pixels, and the weirdest textures you can imagine, he’s illustrated over 80 books for kids ready to explore colorful worlds without a passport. His art has traveled to magical corners of the globe, inspiring dreamers everywhere. In Big Blue, Luis shows that dreams are only as big and bold as we dare to draw them.
