mat_tobin's review
4.0
A beautiful, contemplative tour through the impermanence of life. From rain to survival, the gentle, poetic picturebook is coloured by a repeating refrain of 'is' and 'was' throughout as we flow from now to then and the mystery and beauty that comes with life's transitions. Minimal text set against full-bleeds of soft watercolour and pencil backgrounds.
lauriehnatiuk's review
5.0
is/was, written and illustrated by Deborah Freedman, shares with readers the beauty of how things in nature are in the present and the past using the simple verbs is and was. is/was, may need to have more than one reading to appreciate the profoundness of its simplicity. The watercoloured illustrations are gentle and soothing, making the reading of the words quiet and calming. At the same time, it is full of life and will find its way to readers in the spring, when everything is alive and new, and April being poetry month will be a great read-aloud.
bluenicorn's review
3.0
This felt like more of a song than a story, but that's not a bad thing. I had to read it a couple of times to figure out the best cadence and to understand it better. It has lovely illustrations and would probably be a good read-aloud, even though it's not really a story, per se.
heisereads's review
4.0
The stunningly gorgeous illustrations are the star of this picture book that looks at change, loss, hope, nature, and the things that stay the same and ground us.
taylorb99's review
5.0
Stunning. Written from a child’s point of view, this picture book explores the continual cycle of “was is, is was” that is nature on the earth. I love listening to children’s descriptions of the world they live and explore in, and I loved this book!
mslibrarynerd's review
3.0
Pretty, but uninspired. Slow gentle poems and pages full of colorful negative space.
backonthealex's review
3.0
Though beautifully illustrated, this concept book just didn't really work for me or my young readers. It is/was concepts were too lyrically abstract for my 4-5 year old readers. Instead, they ended up making up their own stories for the illustrations.