The Littlest Yak

The Littlest Yak #1

by Lu Fraser, Kate Hindley (Illustrations)

WINNER of Oscar's Book Prize 2021!

Perfect for fans of Rachel Bright and Julia Donaldson, The Littlest Yak is a joyous, rhyming caper that teaches little ones to celebrate their own unique talents!

On the tip of the top of a mountain all snowy, where the ice-swirling, toe-curling blizzards were blowy, in a herd full of huddling yaks, big and small, lived Gertie . . . the littlest yak of them all.

Gertie is the littlest yak in her whole herd, and she's feeling stuck in her smallness - she wants to grow UP and have bigness and tallness!

But when it turns out that there are some things that only Gertie can do, might she come to see that she's perfect, just the way she is?

A rollicking, heartwarming and reassuring story from debut author, Lu Fraser and much-loved illustrator, Kate Hindley.

Praise for Kate
‘Hindley’s wintry art and characterful creatures shine in this heart-warming story’  The Bookseller (The Littlest Yak)
'Kate Hindley’s charming illustrations bring bouncing Bernard to groovy life' Mail on Sunday  ( Be More Bernard )
'Children will love the simplee, stylish illustrations and gorgeous fine detail' The i ( Treacle Marcel's Parcels )

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Fiction, Humor, Juvenile

32 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

I’m supposed to be writing something about myself for the author page on my new website but, to be honest, I spend most of my time being hugely surprised that I’m now a published writer (so you can imagine my reaction when I come across one of my books in a bookshop!). How I’ve managed to create and publish picture books when I can barely use the remote control is a constant source of wonder to both me and my family but… here I am!

I’ve come to the conclusion that the ‘about me’ bit should be big on shortness and short on boring-ness so I’m just going to tell you five things about me that no one knows (Shhh! They’re a secret!) and leave it at that…

1: I secretly think I could be Indiana Jones – I even have the hat…

2: I do, on occasion, eat cake for breakfast.

3: I’m not very good at telling the time, even ‘though I’m a grown up.

4: I talk to Gertie, The Littlest Yak, all the time (when I get stuck on something, I ask her what she thinks I should do….)

5: I practice interview questions when I’m driving in the car so that I don’t accidentally let it slip that I eat cake for breakfast or talk to a yak…

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A sweet story about accepting yourself, no matter how small or big you are. The first book with little Gertie the yak. Almost as cute as the next book in the series.

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Story Synopsis:

Little Gertie the yak lives with Mummy Yak and the other yaks of their herd, on the top of a snowy mountain. While she loves being a yak, and is quite great at it too, there’s one thing that keeps her sad: she is the smallest of the lot, and so she can’t do anything the big yaks can do with their huge horns and hooves. She does everything she can to grow bigger, but nothing seems to work. But one day, something happens, and Gertie realises that even smallness has its significance.

Just a few days ago, I had read The Littlest Yak: The New Arrival, without knowing that it was the second book of Gertie’s series. I loved Gertie so much that I went searching for the book that introduces her.

I enjoyed this book much, though I won’t gush over it as I had in my review for Book Two. The story is adorable, Gertie is adorable, the verses are adorable, the illustrations are adorable, and the message about accepting oneself is also adorable. So there’s nothing to dislike in this book. But the second book was so brilliant in its combination of cute illustrations plus impactful storyline that this one felt more or less regular in its offering. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this tremendously, and would heartily recommend both books.

The text, with a few big words sprinkled here and there, will suit readers aged 4 to 8. Because of the perfect rhythmic meter, the book will also be great for readalouds. As the message of this book is more generic than the second one, it would also be a great addition to classrooms, to promote acceptance of classmates no matter how big or small they are in size.

4.5 stars, happily rounding up.




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[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you met Gertie? She is the littlest yak and longs to be big. Mummy Yak assures Gerties that there is no rush. Can Gertie get bigger by following a GROWING-UP PLAN? Then one day there is a crisis and Gertie is needed on the narrowest, rockiest ledge. Could it be that Gertie is needed BECAUSE she is so small? She learns that there are some things only a small yak can do. With a heartwarming story told in rhyme and adorable illustrations by Kate Hindley, this is sure to be a favorite read along in your house or classroom.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Littlest Yak
by Lu Fraser
Illustrated by Kate Hindley

Oh my, this is such an adorable book! The art just made me smile without reading a word! Cheerful little faces, colorful and fun! The smallest yak was so cute! Great snowy mountain scenes.

The story was about a small yak that just stayed small no matter what she did and she wasn't happy about it. But one day she could do something the big yaks couldn't and saved the day! The small yak then understood that she didn't have to be big to be great!

Such a fun and encouraging book for kids. Teaches them self esteem and you're special just the way you are!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Peachtree Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for my honest review.
How can you not like Gertie the Yak!! Yes this is a book that is all about being small and Gertie is the tiniest of all the Yaks. No matter what Gertie does she just cannot seem to grow. She eats properly, exercises and does everything the other Yaks do but is just not growing. Of course Gertie is a baby or younger yak and patience is a virtue, one that Gertie does not have. She wants to be big like everyone else. Then one day an emergency arises and the only one who can save the day is Gertie due to her small size. She becomes a hero and actually realizes that she has saved an even tinier yak! She is not longer the smallest one of the herd but she also realizes that size does not always matter.
Great book by Lu Fraser and a wonderful job by Kate Hindley with the illustrations that are simple and playful in nature. A great book to read to children and provides a lot to discuss with kids. Loved this book!

[Cynnamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein superniedliches, selbstbewußt machendes Buch, für Kinder die gerne groß sein wollen. Besonders geeignet für Kinder, die kleiner sind als ihre Altersgruppe normalerweise ist.

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Have you met Gertie? She is the littlest yak and longs to be big. Mummy Yak assures Gerties that there is no rush. Can Gertie get bigger by following a GROWING-UP PLAN? Then one day there is a crisis and Gertie is needed on the narrowest, rockiest ledge. Could it be that Gertie is needed BECAUSE she is so small? She learns that there are some things only a small yak can do. With a heartwarming story told in rhyme and adorable illustrations by Kate Hindley, this is sure to be a favorite read along in your house or classroom. *Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gertie is a little yak. She longs to grow up and be as big and strong as the adult yaks in her herd. She tries her hardest to grow big. But when a crisis occurs, Gertie learns to appreciate the abilities she has now.

This wonderful children’s story about having confidence in yourself and loving each stage of your life is told in rhyme. The accompanying illustrations are very colorful and eye catching! Young children would enjoy the story of this adorable little yak!

Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree Publishing Company, author Lu Fraser and illustrator Kate Hindley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this enjoyable children’s book.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

In spite of wishing to be big, size doesn't matter in this story of Gertie, a little yak who saves the day.

[Andrea Pole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser and illustrated by Kate Hindley is an utterly charming picture book that promotes self-esteem and individuality. I loved everything about this story, and cannot wait to share it with the young readers in my life.

Gertie is a tiny yak. Frustrated by her size, Gertie dreams of doing bigger things, and embarks upon a plan to grow. But when a crisis happens within the herd, it falls to Gertie to achieve what only a small yak can do, and Gertie begins to appreciate the value of her size in an entirely new way.

Told in rhyming verse, and brought to life in gorgeous illustrations, this one is sure to appeal to readers of all ages, and destined to become a new favourite.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight for an ARC.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hugeness and tallness seem SO far away.
I don't want to be small!
I need bigness TODAY!"

Small Gertie tries EVERYTHING (even reading books) to achieve bigness.



But she's just not getting there as fast as she'd like.

A small creature finding out that there's a special feat that can only be performed by the community's tiniest member . . . this is a somewhat familiar tale, but Fraser tells it nicely, with rhymes that trip easily off the tongue when read aloud. And, I went bonkers for the illustrations by Kate Hindley. LOVE that color palette!



A truly enjoyable read for both children, AND adults.

[Canyen Heimuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this while standing in line and I’m rating it while standing in line what a great book 👏

[Lizzy Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADORABLE <3 <3

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this one so much. Don’t hurry to be big, there’s a gift in being small.

[Ruth Govaerts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een schattig boek. Het gaat over een kleine yak die net zoals de andere yaks groot en stoer wil zijn. Op een dag ontdekt hij dat er dingen zijn die enkel kleine yaks kunnen doen!

De illustraties zijn erg aandoenlijk. De yaks hebben echt hun eigen persoonlijkheden. Ze zijn zo vrolijk en kleurrijk. De rijmpjes lezen lekker weg. Genieten!

[Janet Bruins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the message in this book…

Little yaks can do big things too,
And someday they’ll grow into their true—
For every yak, both big and small,
There’ll always be tinier yaks after all.

[Galleane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/202...

Le déroulé de l'histoire est simple, les messages transmis sont classiques, mais j'ai trouvé l'ensemble efficace et le tout est porté par une héroïne qui vous fera indubitablement craquer. Je ne vous cache pas que l'ambiance visuelle joue aussi beaucoup sur l'appréciation qu'on a de l'intrigue et sur l'immersion du lecteur dans l'album. J'ai adoré les illustrations et les bouilles des différents Yacks qu'on découvrait.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I half love this story and I'm half put off. Actually, it's probably 2/3 love and 1/3 put off. I don't know if it's just my brain or what, but it seems like rhyming books rarely manage to pull off what they intend. It has a great message, I really like the little yak having bigness angle. But the prose was clunky in my head as I was reading it. That's a deal breaker for me.

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this one! The rhythmic writing was good, the story was fun, but most of all I enjoy the way it talk about kids wanting to be grown-up too fast and it shows how grownups sure do cool think, but also how little ones can do stuff they cant. Well done!!

[Reinier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Te leuk geschreven en fantastisch getekend. Perfect voor kleintjes die niet kunnen wachten tot ze groot zijn.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gertie the yak wants nothing more than to be big. Significantly smaller than the other yaks in her herd, Gertie struggles to do most of the things the others can do. Though Gertie’s mother tries to convince her that big things are in Gertie’s future, Gertie herself is not so sure. One day, the herd seeks Gertie’s assistance to rescue an even smaller yak from a precarious perch on the mountainside. It is on this day that Gertie begins to realize the “bigness” that resides inside even the smallest of packages.

This superb picture book blends unique illustrations with a compelling narrative that will draw readers back again and again. Created using pencil and ink in a limited color palette, Gertie’s world is depicted primarily in grays, blues, turquoise, black, and white with accents of red and yellow. Patterns on the yaks’ clothing couple with these hues to give the book a distinctly Northern European appearance within the frozen landscape Gertie calls home. A dynamic and varied illustrative approach enhances the plot and supports energetic visual storytelling.

Accompanying the illustrations is a rhyming, rhythmic text that is as fun to voice aloud as it is to hear. Echoes of Dr. Seuss can be found in the writing style, occasional use of unusual words, and the overall message of self-love. Short snippets of text punctuate each page, often split mid-sentence to vary the pacing of the narrative. Every so often, words are shown in all capital letters to help them stand out from the rest of the line while enhancing textual awareness in young readers.

Homes and classrooms alike will delight in this enjoyable story, and readers of all ages, especially those who are short in stature, will find a special kinship with this book. Though being small can be challenging at times, everyone has “bigness” inside them that is to be celebrated. This is a highly recommended and eagerly anticipated addition to read aloud collections for young elementary school-aged readers.

[The Voracious Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Note: I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Gertie is a little yak with a big heart. Eager to be big and tall like the other yaks in her herd, Gertie tries her hardest to make herself bigger and stronger but finds her negative self-perception tested when an emergency calls for someone smaller like her.

In the end, Gertie learns that it’s not the size of your horns that matter but the strength of your character, and that everyone in the herd has something amazing to offer regardless of their size or ability. Reminiscent of the story of Rudolph with his blinking red nose or Kyo Maclear’s picture book Spork, The Littlest Yak shows readers of all ages that sometimes the things we don’t like about ourselves end up becoming our greatest assets. Five stars and two thumbs way up for Gertie, who now holds a coveted spot as one of my favorite heroines in all of children’s literature.

The Littlest Yak is due to be released in the U.S. on October 1st, 2021 and is now available to preorder wherever books are sold.

This review also appears on my blog The Voracious Bibliophile at http://thevoraciousbibliophile.art.blog.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an adorable picture book that my grandchildren and I loved. This is a story about Gertie, a small yak, who feels like she can't do anything because she is so small. Of course the lesson is that being small doesn't mean you can't do anything, in fact, there are things only little ones can do. I loved the illustrations in this book. Over the years, there have been a lot of stories about little guys doing great things, think The Littlest Engine. What I loved about this one was the choice of a yak as well as the snowy setting, perfect as we head into the winter. The rhyming text had a great cadence which made this one a great read aloud. My grandkids enjoyed the story and the eye catching, cartoonish illustrations. One they asked to be read again, that means it was a hit. We also had a short discussion after about Gertie and being small. One I definitely recommend to schools, families and public libraries. I was gifted a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Publisher Spotlight - Peachtree Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was beyond adorable with important life lessons and very inspiring nonetheless. This book would be perfect for a Storytime for young kids teaching them the importance of acceptance, self-esteem, and being grateful. Love the pictures and illustrations. Beautiful color scheme and very well executed. I know this book will be popular in the pre-school and kindergarten classrooms as well.

We will consider adding this title to our Picture Book collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable! Gertie is a small yak and wishes she was big. Her mother explains to her that “being big” is not just about being large. Gertie is invited to rescue “the teeniest yak” and she is able to accomplish the task because she is small. This teaches her the lesson about liking the size she is and working with that. When Gertie is devising a GROWING-UP PLAN she decides to read books. This is my favorite quote from the story:
“And she read lots of books to make her thoughts grow (because grown-ups have big things to think and to know).” Too true!
The pictures are delightful with wonderful, comical expressions on the faces of the yaks!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhyming picture book about Gertie, the littlest yak in her herd. Gertie works hard at being all that "a small yak should be" but she believes there is not "any BIGNESS in me!" Just as she begins to despair, Gertie gets a chance to prove her bigness. This is an uplifting story with a bouncy text and large, comforting illustrations. (I love the illustration of Gertie sitting on a stack of books and reading through a pile of Yak and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Yaks, and Little Red Riding Yak.) A wonderful book to share that will pair well with Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Peachtree Publishing for a free digital copy.

Stop what you are doing and get this book now. This is an adorable story about embracing the skin we are in because we are made this way for a reason. The rhyming was a delight, the illustrations are beautiful, and the message is one we all need to hear.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The littlest yak in a herd of yaks worries about being too small-- it would be much better to grow up fast! But when an even teenier yak is stuck at the tip top of a steep peak, it's up to the littlest yak to come to the rescue as the only one who can fit. Great message about not growing up too fast and how being small can be a strength. And the illustrations were absolutely adorable!

[Jason Dillingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute rendition of the Little Engine That Could, where the littlest yak finds strength in being different. It’s got lots of fun alliterations, and I love the message for kids (and adults) that not all strengths are the most noticeable.

[Rianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

15/52 books read in 2021.
6/12 picture books read in 2021.
- I read the Dutch translation of the English original-

This is soo cute.
I want to read this to every little one in my life that wants to grow up quickly.
Great art, bright colors, lovely rhyme.
All-around winner in my book!