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Going Up!
An elevator ride to a birthday party turns into a shared experience bursting with joy in this multicultural story about community, togetherness and the special feeling of belonging.Today is Olive’s birthday party, and Sophie and her dad have baked cookies. Sophie’s dad holds the platter so Sophie can push the elevator button for the tenth floor. But on the way up, the elevator stops for the Santucci brothers. Then, for Vicky, Babs, and their dog, Norman. And, as the elevator ascends, more neighbors squeeze the Habibs, the Flores family, Mr. Kwan. Everyone’s going to the party!Such a wonderful, close-knit building — kids will want to move right in!
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2020
5 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 23, 2019
Sophie and her Dad are invoted to a birthday party on the tenth floor of their block of flats. They take a lift which stops almost on every floor and more and more people from their wonderful multicultural community get in. The book made me think about my own neighbourhood and its great diversity.
The stoy is very simple, but it is a sweet and happy one, where people from different ethnithities, religions, gender, age and ability love and support each other.It is important to read books like this to our children, because they reflect our life.
There are fantastic details e.g. one of the Santucci brothers ( rocker guys) has a very cute T-shirt with yarn and knitting needles. The colours are lovely and cheerful- they render the experience of the little girl anticipating the birthday party and her happiness at seeing her neighbours.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
The stoy is very simple, but it is a sweet and happy one, where people from different ethnithities, religions, gender, age and ability love and support each other.It is important to read books like this to our children, because they reflect our life.
There are fantastic details e.g. one of the Santucci brothers ( rocker guys) has a very cute T-shirt with yarn and knitting needles. The colours are lovely and cheerful- they render the experience of the little girl anticipating the birthday party and her happiness at seeing her neighbours.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 16, 2020
Party on the 10th floor! Olive is having a birthday party and has invited all her friends. In a building that reminds me a little of the Wayside School building where each floor is only one room, we see all of Olive’s friends get on the elevator to take them up to the the party.
The story starts with a picture of the invitation inviting Leonard (dad) and Sophie (young daughter). Together, the two bake cookies for the party and go to the elevator where she gets to push the button. The elevator starts to go up, but doesn’t go too far before it stops on the 2nd floor where two brothers get on – the Santucci brothers, who are dressed like they might be part of a biker gang (or maybe they’re Rockers?). Again the elevator goes up only to stop at the next floor.
This elevator is magical. At the end of the story, I counted 21 people, 2 dogs, and a bass and clarinet all fitting into the elevator. Even the people in the elevator laugh about whether the elevator can hold them all. The neighbors in this building all appear to be friends with each other, but what I love is the wide range of diversity they bring to the story. Not only multi-cultural it includes neighbors with different interests and different ages.
This is a cute and happy picture book that will be sure to please readers and listeners of the book.
Rating: 5 stars
The story starts with a picture of the invitation inviting Leonard (dad) and Sophie (young daughter). Together, the two bake cookies for the party and go to the elevator where she gets to push the button. The elevator starts to go up, but doesn’t go too far before it stops on the 2nd floor where two brothers get on – the Santucci brothers, who are dressed like they might be part of a biker gang (or maybe they’re Rockers?). Again the elevator goes up only to stop at the next floor.
This elevator is magical. At the end of the story, I counted 21 people, 2 dogs, and a bass and clarinet all fitting into the elevator. Even the people in the elevator laugh about whether the elevator can hold them all. The neighbors in this building all appear to be friends with each other, but what I love is the wide range of diversity they bring to the story. Not only multi-cultural it includes neighbors with different interests and different ages.
This is a cute and happy picture book that will be sure to please readers and listeners of the book.
Rating: 5 stars
November 22, 2019
This slightly claustrophobic picture book is rather cute, showing a community of friends all gathering together for a birthday party as the elevator takes them up to the tenth floor.
The story is told by Sophie, who goes to the party with her dad. They live on the first floor, so they take their cookies that they baked and get into the elevator. As they stop at each floor, more and more friends get on. And they're a diverse bunch. There's the Santucci brothers, who look like aging rockers (but who also love cats and knitting); the Habib family, whose grandkids are dressed as superheroes and carrying a South Asian snack to share; the Flores family, which includes an adolescent boy in a tutu; and even Arnie, who plays the bass and wears orange Crocs. Ignoring the weight limit on the elevator, the group eventually makes it up to the tenth floor and the party begins!
There are lots of cute details in the illustrations. This is a book that you'll probably want to look at more than once, just to make sure you see everything. The story is simple, but the concept is done quite well.
Overall, this is a pleasant picture book with a diverse cast and a joyous premise. Who doesn't love a party with friends?
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for providing a digital ARC.
The story is told by Sophie, who goes to the party with her dad. They live on the first floor, so they take their cookies that they baked and get into the elevator. As they stop at each floor, more and more friends get on. And they're a diverse bunch. There's the Santucci brothers, who look like aging rockers (but who also love cats and knitting); the Habib family, whose grandkids are dressed as superheroes and carrying a South Asian snack to share; the Flores family, which includes an adolescent boy in a tutu; and even Arnie, who plays the bass and wears orange Crocs. Ignoring the weight limit on the elevator, the group eventually makes it up to the tenth floor and the party begins!
There are lots of cute details in the illustrations. This is a book that you'll probably want to look at more than once, just to make sure you see everything. The story is simple, but the concept is done quite well.
Overall, this is a pleasant picture book with a diverse cast and a joyous premise. Who doesn't love a party with friends?
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for providing a digital ARC.
November 30, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is a cute and beautifully illustrated book about a party that everyone in an apartment block has been invited to.
This book shows how we are all different and unique ad how even though we are different we can still all be friends. A great book about community spirit for children.
This is a cute and beautifully illustrated book about a party that everyone in an apartment block has been invited to.
This book shows how we are all different and unique ad how even though we are different we can still all be friends. A great book about community spirit for children.
December 2, 2019
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
What a sweet story!
I loved it and smiled at every page. Those variations in characters / families are really enjoyable, drawings are so cute. And the message is important. I would suggest this book to all young readers.
What a sweet story!
I loved it and smiled at every page. Those variations in characters / families are really enjoyable, drawings are so cute. And the message is important. I would suggest this book to all young readers.
November 18, 2019
3,5/5. Simple and already seen kind of story but still a good and fun book about living together, even if we are all so different in some ways, we are very similar in others!
May 24, 2020
This is a wonderful picture book that would be a welcome addition to any bookshelf from family, schools and public libraries. Sophie and her dad live in an apartment building (or flat) on the first floor. When they get an invitation to a party, they need to "Go Up" to the tenth floor. After making cookies to take, they get in the elevator (lift) and push the button. The elevator stops at each floor as more party goers get one. Not only are they ethnically diverse, but they have various interests, and are all different ages. My grandson loved seeing all the different clothes that my granddaughter kept calling costumes. This was a fun-loving group hoping that the elevator would take them all up. It was a bit like a clown car with over 20 people, a couple of pets, plates and dishes of food and even some instruments. I loved the illustrations and had to keep turning back the page as my grandson wasn't finished looking at the pictures yet. There is a lot of detail in each picture and we loved them all. We had just read another book about community, so we compared this book to his neighbourhood, which was a lot of fun. This is a great book for family libraries, classrooms, school and public libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
July 7, 2020
This is a very simple, yet enjoyable and effective book. It tells a story where people from different ethnicities, genders, age and religion all love and support one another. The message it holds is extremely valuable - reading these books to children is so important, they reflect our lives and demonstrate how we should treat one another, with equality and love. A great book to use with children.
December 5, 2019
FULL REVIEW
DISCLAIMER : Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for this ARC.
I loved this book. It was fun, vibrant, simplistic in its executions with beautiful illustrations. The story shows a wonderful cast of characters and they all share their ride happily. The comfort, sense of community is evident and we see they all have good relationship and friendships with one another. The urban experience of living in buildings and the riding of elevator to different homes, the multicultural diversity you get from the Urban living is all beautifully illustrated. I think this will be a great picture book for kids to read and is very simple, short sentences won't intimidate young ones either. I think this would be a great book for young kids and I will definitely want a copy for my kids as well. I think this would be a good story for them as well. I gave the book 5 stars and highly recommend it.
DISCLAIMER : Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for this ARC.
I loved this book. It was fun, vibrant, simplistic in its executions with beautiful illustrations. The story shows a wonderful cast of characters and they all share their ride happily. The comfort, sense of community is evident and we see they all have good relationship and friendships with one another. The urban experience of living in buildings and the riding of elevator to different homes, the multicultural diversity you get from the Urban living is all beautifully illustrated. I think this will be a great picture book for kids to read and is very simple, short sentences won't intimidate young ones either. I think this would be a great book for young kids and I will definitely want a copy for my kids as well. I think this would be a good story for them as well. I gave the book 5 stars and highly recommend it.
December 2, 2019
This is a cute picture book about a magic elevator.
No, not really. It isn't magic. It just manages to hold everyone from 9 other floors in it, while it goes up and up to the 10th floor where the party is.
And what a wonderful group of people that are picked up, people of all sizes, shapes, nationalities, religions and ideologies.
Plus cats and dogs.
A fun picture book to read through and look at everyone involved.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
No, not really. It isn't magic. It just manages to hold everyone from 9 other floors in it, while it goes up and up to the 10th floor where the party is.
And what a wonderful group of people that are picked up, people of all sizes, shapes, nationalities, religions and ideologies.
Plus cats and dogs.
A fun picture book to read through and look at everyone involved.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
Sophie and her dad are going to a birthday party - and so is everyone else in the building! The elevator stops at each floor and another family gets on. When it reaches the 10th floor, they are at the party. That's it. I wish there was more of a plot, even a discussion on if they will all fit on the elevator. On the positive side, people from all lifestyles and cultures are represented and the artwork is colorful and engaging.
January 30, 2020
Generally elevators catch imagination of little kids. They love to go up and down in it. With appropriate company and precautions kids love to play the game of elevator.
This cute story is about a building, people living in it, a giant elevator and a planned birthday party.
It is a cozy story decorated by vivid colorful artwork.
Different people from different cultural background assemble at 10th floor to celebrate a birthday.
With them they bring their best gifts and eatables.
Our main character a little girl, finds it so interesting and is very happy.
A simple vocabulary that little tots can read themselves.
A lovely little kids fiction that is absolutely adorable.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.
This cute story is about a building, people living in it, a giant elevator and a planned birthday party.
It is a cozy story decorated by vivid colorful artwork.
Different people from different cultural background assemble at 10th floor to celebrate a birthday.
With them they bring their best gifts and eatables.
Our main character a little girl, finds it so interesting and is very happy.
A simple vocabulary that little tots can read themselves.
A lovely little kids fiction that is absolutely adorable.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.
August 8, 2021
Well this was a fun read! The story was really cute and entertaining, and I loved the illustrations and inclusivity! So much great representation in this book - and it was wonderfully casual. The little girl doesn’t bat an eyelash when the rough and rough biker bros get on the elevator, or when the charming lesbian couple enters. What a joy of a book!
May 25, 2023
My preschool class loved this book!! There is a really cool part at the end, where the pages open up like an elevator, and they made me do it multiple times in a row, LOL. Also, a good book for counting, and showing diverse housing arrangement such as an apartment/condo etc. The vertical format is also very unique.
November 20, 2020
A clever story featuring two things kids love: riding on an elevator and a birthday party! Love how the author conveyed great details about the neighbors as they joined the crowd in the elevator. Fun, detailed illustrations and a tall trim size adds to the delight.
March 8, 2021
Delightful!
July 15, 2022
This is a fun story. Charlene’s illustrations are gorgeous as always. I like how the story builds on each page. Perfect for kindergarten.
January 5, 2020
Review to be added to Amazon UK and US on 7th April 2020 - publication day!
I thought that this was a fun book, it was easy to follow and the images were good
I liked the mix of characters that were in the story too
It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!
I thought that this was a fun book, it was easy to follow and the images were good
I liked the mix of characters that were in the story too
It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!
December 30, 2019
Going Up! is a bright and boisterous book! It all starts on the first floor of the narrator's apartment building-- as she and her father go up the elevator, more and more of their friendly neighbors stack in on their way to Olive's birthday party on the tenth floor! Who will they greet at each level? And a better question-- will they all be able to fit in the elevator? Entertaining and sweet, this book is sure to put a smile on your face, as it did mine.
June 21, 2020
Going Up! by Sherry J. Lee, illustrated by Charlene Chua. PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2020. $18. 9781525301131
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A little girl and her dad have been invited to a birthday party on the tenth floor of their apartment building. As they ascend to the top, new people join in on almost every floor, making for a party before the party.
Kind of like a counting to ten game – it would be fun to follow a passenger all the way up. And certainly everyone you read this to will want to comment on the fact that there is no way all of those people could REALLY fit in an elevator – unless it’s the freight elevator! Charming, but probably won’t be read and reread.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A little girl and her dad have been invited to a birthday party on the tenth floor of their apartment building. As they ascend to the top, new people join in on almost every floor, making for a party before the party.
Kind of like a counting to ten game – it would be fun to follow a passenger all the way up. And certainly everyone you read this to will want to comment on the fact that there is no way all of those people could REALLY fit in an elevator – unless it’s the freight elevator! Charming, but probably won’t be read and reread.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
November 30, 2019
This book was received as an ARC from Kids Can Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book was so adorably brilliant. I almost laughed with joy that everybody in the building was so friendly and they held the door open for anyone and their pets even when the elevator was at max capacity. Then later we came to realize that it was all for being together for a dog's birthday party. Every floor picked up somebody new and no matter where they were headed or who they were with, everybody welcomed them with open arms and I wish that was life was like at my apartment complex.
We will consider adding this title to our Picture Book collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
This book was so adorably brilliant. I almost laughed with joy that everybody in the building was so friendly and they held the door open for anyone and their pets even when the elevator was at max capacity. Then later we came to realize that it was all for being together for a dog's birthday party. Every floor picked up somebody new and no matter where they were headed or who they were with, everybody welcomed them with open arms and I wish that was life was like at my apartment complex.
We will consider adding this title to our Picture Book collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
December 10, 2019
When Olive invites everyone to her party, she really meant everyone. How can so many people from each floor fit into one single elevator? And it's not just people, but their pets and instruments and pastries and gifts! Everyone's laughing, filled with love and community, and they all want nothing more than to make this birthday party a smashing hit. With adorable illustrations that feature a wide variety of characters (bikers, musicians, introverts, extroverts, Korean, black, differently abled, and so on!), this truly strikes the heart of its message: community and loving and giving make us all love each other even more. Absolutely darling. Great for grades K-3.
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
May 15, 2020
A sweet book about neighbors and community! A girl and her daddy take the elevator up to the top of their apartment complex for one of their neighbor's birthday party. The elevator stops at each floor to admit more friends from their building also going to the party. Great representation of a diverse, loving community of neighbors--all with different backgrounds, interests, clothes, and family makeup. My only gripe was that there's no way that elevator is under its weight capacity--I was a little concerned for everyone's safety, haha. But overall a cute story, and easy to make interactive.
January 6, 2020
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this cute book. It was slightly longer than I anticipated it being, but that did not affect the book. It had a simple concept, but a very cute message about community and different types of people and I really think we need books like this right now.
April 10, 2020
I loved how diverse the cast of characters were in Sophie's building!
July 27, 2020
I'm moving into this building!
April 2, 2020
Neighbors in an apartment building all pile in to the elevator on the way to Olive’s birthday party on the top floor. But as the elevator stops on each floor, the elevator gets more and more crowded. Will everyone make it to the party?
I felt like this book was all about showcasing the diversity of the people who live in the building and forgot about the plot. It seems like there should be more of a problem with the elevator or some need to problem solve to get everyone in, but nope. Nothing. So it does end up all about the diversity. There’s single parent families, multi-parent families, sibling pairs, a gay couple, and a single lady with her dog. There’s people of African descent, Hispanic descent, Indian descent, and probably Korean and Japanese (just going by the names). And they all just cram in an elevator, the doors open and they are at a party and bam, that’s it. I feel like just a couple more pages would have allowed at least something of a plot to develop. You don't even really get to know how the neighbors feel about each other or anything. They just get introduced, enter the elevator and on to the next floor. The illustration style is cute. The concept had promised but just kind of fell flat. If I could give half stars this would be a 2.5. I’ll round it up for the artwork.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I felt like this book was all about showcasing the diversity of the people who live in the building and forgot about the plot. It seems like there should be more of a problem with the elevator or some need to problem solve to get everyone in, but nope. Nothing. So it does end up all about the diversity. There’s single parent families, multi-parent families, sibling pairs, a gay couple, and a single lady with her dog. There’s people of African descent, Hispanic descent, Indian descent, and probably Korean and Japanese (just going by the names). And they all just cram in an elevator, the doors open and they are at a party and bam, that’s it. I feel like just a couple more pages would have allowed at least something of a plot to develop. You don't even really get to know how the neighbors feel about each other or anything. They just get introduced, enter the elevator and on to the next floor. The illustration style is cute. The concept had promised but just kind of fell flat. If I could give half stars this would be a 2.5. I’ll round it up for the artwork.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2020
My Thoughts
As Sophie and her dad take the elevator from the first floor to the tenth floor to a birthday party, they are joined by others on each floor. Each new person or group that joins them is unique. The friendship and affection between them is obvious and a thrill to see through both text and art.
This book, simply said, is a book that promotes unity in diversity, and Sherry Lee does it super sweetly. In addition, I love Charlene Chua’s bright, colorful illustrations full of cheer and details that make it a fun I-Spy-type of book.
Children will enjoy looking for those hidden details (for example, the floor number is uniquely displayed on each different floor) and figuring out what floor is next and who will enter the elevator there. It is perfectly written and illustrated for the intended audience to help them learn while having fun; though I know I enjoyed playing the ‘looking-at-the-details’ game too – and there is so much more in the details in this book!
In Summary
A cute book celebrating diversity and inclusivity in an adorable and fun way, with lots of hidden learning opportunities!
Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.
As Sophie and her dad take the elevator from the first floor to the tenth floor to a birthday party, they are joined by others on each floor. Each new person or group that joins them is unique. The friendship and affection between them is obvious and a thrill to see through both text and art.
This book, simply said, is a book that promotes unity in diversity, and Sherry Lee does it super sweetly. In addition, I love Charlene Chua’s bright, colorful illustrations full of cheer and details that make it a fun I-Spy-type of book.
Children will enjoy looking for those hidden details (for example, the floor number is uniquely displayed on each different floor) and figuring out what floor is next and who will enter the elevator there. It is perfectly written and illustrated for the intended audience to help them learn while having fun; though I know I enjoyed playing the ‘looking-at-the-details’ game too – and there is so much more in the details in this book!
In Summary
A cute book celebrating diversity and inclusivity in an adorable and fun way, with lots of hidden learning opportunities!
Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.
September 8, 2020
Two staff reviews!
3 stars
This story is about a birthday party that is happening in an apartment complex. To get to the party, Sophie and her dad have to take the elevator to the 10th floor. Kids absolutely love taking the elevator up and down, so it is no surprise Sophie is excited, with cookies in hand, to get to Olive’s birthday party. Along the way, she meets many of her neighbors, who are also invited to this birthday party. Once she gets to the 10th floor and steps out, the readers realize Olive is not your average birthday girl! Cute surprise at the end. I liked this book a lot. A must-read for kids and adults who like to ride elevators and meet different people.
- Miss Jenny
4 stars
This is a fun picture book full of a diverse set of characters. In the story, there is a birthday party taking place on the top floor of an apartment building. The reader travels up the elevator, picking up new characters on each floor. As the elevator becomes more crowded, the pictures become more entertaining! I was in fear that a cactus would pop a balloon (Spoiler: It doesn’t!). Once you get to the top floor, you can open flaps in the book pages as if you are opening the elevator doors. The party ends up being for someone surprising! This was a very clever, fun read.
- Miss Emily
3 stars
This story is about a birthday party that is happening in an apartment complex. To get to the party, Sophie and her dad have to take the elevator to the 10th floor. Kids absolutely love taking the elevator up and down, so it is no surprise Sophie is excited, with cookies in hand, to get to Olive’s birthday party. Along the way, she meets many of her neighbors, who are also invited to this birthday party. Once she gets to the 10th floor and steps out, the readers realize Olive is not your average birthday girl! Cute surprise at the end. I liked this book a lot. A must-read for kids and adults who like to ride elevators and meet different people.
- Miss Jenny
4 stars
This is a fun picture book full of a diverse set of characters. In the story, there is a birthday party taking place on the top floor of an apartment building. The reader travels up the elevator, picking up new characters on each floor. As the elevator becomes more crowded, the pictures become more entertaining! I was in fear that a cactus would pop a balloon (Spoiler: It doesn’t!). Once you get to the top floor, you can open flaps in the book pages as if you are opening the elevator doors. The party ends up being for someone surprising! This was a very clever, fun read.
- Miss Emily
March 16, 2022
I loved this book. It was such a great story. It follows a little girl who makes cookies with her father. The two of them get in the elevator and start going up to the tenth floor. On every floor more people get into the elevator. Until they reach the top where they all get out and the reader discovers that it is the girl on the tenth floor's birthday. Everyone in the building had come to celebrate it. I think that this story really highlights diversity. On each floor the person or people are so different from each other. This is shown through different diversities, clothing, disabilities, sexualities and different pets. The characters in the story other than the little girl do not say much however the personalities of each character can be seen. I think this is a great book to normalize people that look different from the children reading the book, or could be a good opportunity to relate to a character in the book because they can see themselves within the story. Overall it was a really great book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews