Review: The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado

For years I have loved Max Lucado's children's book, You Are Special, and Tallest of Smalls was no letdown.

Written with a style similar to the Dr. Seuss we all grew up with, Tallest of Smalls is a beautiful story that touches readers young and old alike. The story applies to our every day life showing us how people or things can never really satisfy our desire to feel special, significant, and admired. Written in a rhyme that captivates children, Tallest of Smalls shares with them a message of value and self-worth that they can understand without simplifying it to something that lacks real meaning. Illustrations from artist Maria Monescillo help the story really come to life in your mind's eye as you read about Ollie, a young boy who just wanted to be admired like all the other people with stilts. One day his wish is granted and he receives his stilts. But as he tries to be like the others, he finds he cannot stand. With a pride-shattering fall, he finds himself stiltless and right back where he started. But as he sits in his sadness, Jesus comes to him and tells him everything he'd been longing to hear from the crowd, and everything he thought he would find in the stilts. Readers will find this is be a charming story that tells us what we all long to hear, "I may not be much, the smallest of smalls. But since Jesus loves me, I'm the tallest of talls."