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Once I Was Little, Now I Am Big
Once I Was Little, Now I Am Big, Juliet C. Smedley, is a gentle picture book about a child looking back on the everyday things that used to feel enormous, and noticing how those same things have changed as she has grown. Back-door steps that once required help are now easy to climb. A bed that once felt endless now fits her stretched-out body. Her father no longer has to bend so far for a kiss, a snow dog-house becomes too small to crawl into, spinach is still complicated, and a beloved rocking chair and toy dinosaur no longer fit her quite the same way. The story keeps returning to one tender idea: growing up changes the size of the world, but it doesn’t erase who we were.
What I liked most about the writing is its simplicity. It has the fun, looping rhythm children respond to, but there’s something quietly wistful underneath it for the adult reading aloud. I found myself smiling at the tiny measurements of childhood: toes not reaching the middle of the bed, standing on tiptoe to kiss Daddy, a toy dinosaur once big enough to rest on. Those details feel honest because children really do understand growth through objects and rituals before they understand it as time passing. The spinach scene adds a welcome little spark of humor, too. I appreciated that the book doesn’t make growing up feel overly sentimental or perfectly tidy. Some things change, some things don’t, and that feels true.
The artwork is bright, clear, and very readable for young children. The pages use strong colors and familiar settings, like the bedroom, school cafeteria, snowy yard, and front steps, which help ground the bigger idea in scenes kids can recognize. I especially liked the contrast between the earlier and later images, where the same spaces feel different simply because the child’s body and confidence have changed. There’s a sweetness in the family moments, particularly the scenes with her parents and grandpa.
Once I Was Little, Now I Am Big is a reflective children’s book about growing, remembering, and making peace with the strange little losses that come with getting bigger. I’d recommend it for preschoolers and early elementary children who are starting to notice their own independence, and for parents who want a sweet, reassuring read-aloud that opens the door to talking about change.
Pages: 24 | ASIN : B07VVP6NZM
Fulfilling Relationships
Krystal Kolnik Author Interview
Lessons from the Frogs I’ve Kissed is a heart-wrenching and personal story of love and loss. Why was this an important book for you to write?
“If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” –Toni Morrison
The writing and sharing of my story became a significant journey of healing for me. I felt the universe was fully supporting my writing as the memories were downloaded and I was able to recall the most intricate detail and communicate my feelings and memories in relatable words. I realised then that not only was this book meant to be written as part of my own healing process, but that it also needed to be shared with others, as there are plenty of people out there who could benefit from the lessons I had learned. This truly was the book I wish I had when I was going through any one of my painful break-ups at any given time. During the process I realised the more honest, raw and authentic I was with myself, the more relatable my story would be. So I threw myself under the bus a few times, in order to make sure this is not a one sided, man hating tale, as there were always two people in the equation. It has been written with cringe-worthy honesty and dashes of humour to keep a somewhat heavy subject matter light and enjoyable.
I appreciated your willingness to share difficult moments in your life. What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you?
One piece of advice that I wish someone had given me is that we tend to fall in love with our partners potential. We keep hoping and waiting for our situation to improve. What we don’t realise is that is just the kind of cake we bake with our partners, and that our relationships are unlikely to change into the fulfilling relationships we are hoping for. The dynamics between two people is set in the beginning. You will not magically be attracted to someone or earn their respect if it was not there from the onset.
You detail an abusive and destructive relationship, but I found the book to be ultimately uplifting. What do you hope readers take away from your story?
I really hope to give my readers perspective on their own relationships, whether they are good or bad ones, just something to compare them to. I also wish to give hope, hope that true love and happiness does exist. One of my big realisations was that in order to meet someone who could genuinely love me and I love them, I had to find self-love first, and I think this was one of my most valuable lessons.
One of my readers stopped me in the local shopping centre to let me know since reading my book she had the full realisation that she is married to a Pete, and she is now certain she needs to get out of her marriage, When I hear feedback like this I know my book is here for a reason.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be available?
I had to laugh when I was first asked this question. My book hadn’t been been out for three days after working on it for almost 5 years and people were already wanting to know when they could expect my next book. I had a rather sticky court case recently when I was sued for parental alienation. There is definitely a book there which I feel will help other women and men in similar situations. I guess I need to get my writing cap on soon.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
![Lessons from the Frogs I've Kissed: I have made all the mistakes in the book so you wont have to by [Kolnik, Krystal]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/411gbkBqf6L.jpg?resize=302%2C452&ssl=1)
I invite you to be a fly on the wall as I revisit all my significant adult relationships and share the invaluable life lessons I have learnt over the last 20 years. In my most desperate moments, whether dating or married, I searched for a book that could give me some much-needed perspective on my current circumstances. That book did not exist – until now.
Many of us have been in romantic relationships which feel incredible in the beginning but end up in trauma, regret and despair. How do we stop ourselves from becoming locked in cycles of abuse? What are the unconscious dating patterns that underlie our romantic interactions? How do we know what we are looking for in a partner ? And most importantly why do we need to learn to love ourselves first? Written with dashes of humour and cringe-worthy honesty, I am sure you will find Lessons From the Frogs I’ve Kissed to be an entertaining and powerful read, which should help you in your own personal journey in finding ever-lasting love and happiness.
