I haven’t written a ton of children’s book reviews, but now that my nephews are a little older, I’m getting to dive into more picture books. Mila the Maker by Rachel Loftspring is a really fun story of a little girl who’s doing her best to put together a very difficult 200-piece jigsaw puzzle.

She sets to work and comes up with a plan to put the puzzle together. Halfway through, she gets overwhelmed and frustrated, and she comes to the conclusion that she’ll never be able to finish the puzzle. Her mother comes in and gives her the helpful advice to take a moment, feel her feelings, and then come up with a course of action. With this in mind, Mila is able to successfully complete her task.

The story is a really sweet one, and I can definitely see how kids will be able to relate to Mila’s joy over solving the puzzle, as well as her frustration when she gets stuck at one point. I really appreciated how Mila’s mother encourages her to sit with her feelings, instead of just rushing to fix the problem for her. It’s a great trajectory to see Mila’s confidence rebound at the end of the book.

I would have loved to see illustrations that were a tad more detailed (these images felt a bit juvenile), and some of the rhyming structure didn’t always flow super easily while I was reading this. However, it’s still a book that I think kids would really enjoy. I think it would make a fantastic gift for a child, especially if you threw in a puzzle for them to solve as well.

4.5 stars

*Free ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*