Book Review| A Little Goes A Long Way

A Little Goes A Long Way is an award winning book by our July Featured Author Ashley Mills Monaghan. 

And a little goes a long way to talking to your kids about how much they use, and why.

What’s it About?

The story is about a little boy named Fin and his dog Sausages. Fin wants to help out, but sometimes he gets a little carried away. Fin tends to use way too much when he helps, leading others to caution him that “A Little Goes A Long Way”. 

What’s Great About it?

This book is simple and repetitive.

This makes it a great book for preschoolers and early readers. It’s illustrations are eye catching and absolutely adorable. They tell the story well, conjuring up smiles as Finn accidentally over-does each task, simply intending to help.

There is a solid lesson.

The lesson in this book is about paying attention to how much you use and being mindful. Beyond that, it can be a gateway to bigger conversations with your kids. 

You can talk to your kids about conserving water and other natural resources. Even preschoolers are already beginning to grasp the concept of how much is too much, and this book can help them learn about using the right amount for the job. The book has the built in phrase “a little goes a long way”, which you can use in your day to day life to remind your child gently that they are using a bit too much. 

What did we think of it?

We both loved this book.

My son, in particular is a paint fiend. Anytime he paints, he uses ALL of the color in the bottle, so much so that he is no longer given access to the bottle, only a dab of paint at a time, in a tiny tray. He’s also very liberal with pouring juice, often overflowing the cup onto the table, and the dog frequently gets a bit too much food in her bowl, just like Sausages does in the book. 

As a mom, I got a laugh out of all Fin’s mistakes, because each illustration reminded me of specific instances with my own son. It had my son’s attention and I now get a kick out of pointing out to him that “a little goes along way” when he’s going a little overboard. 

I definitely recommend this book to parents and teachers of preschoolers. 

It’s a high quality book with a great fun message. I am happy to have it in my home library and happy to have Ashley Mills Monoghan as this month’s featured author. 

Check back tomorrow for a fun activity that reflects the lesson of the book!