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Lift
When Iris's elevator button-pushing is disrupted by a new member of the family, she's pretty put out.
That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own.
This is a story that will lift your spirits and expand your imagination, by the award-winning creators of Drawn Together.
That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own.
This is a story that will lift your spirits and expand your imagination, by the award-winning creators of Drawn Together.
56 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2020
9 people are currently reading
1285 people want to read
About the author
Minh Lê
28books226followersMinh Lê is the author of Drawn Together illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat and Let Me Finish! (named an NPR Best Book of 2016) illustrated by Isabel Roxas (both published by Disney-Hyperion). He is also writing Green Lantern: Legacy, a graphic novel (illustrated by Andie Tong) for the new DC Comics middle grade imprint, DC Zoom. As a member of the kidlit consortium The Niblings, he writes about children's literature at Bottom Shelf Books and for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, The Horn Book, and HuffPost.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
May 7, 2020
I need a button like that about now...
August 16, 2020
A book to appeal to the "kid" in all of us -- I mean who doesn't love to push elevator buttons, right? Iris is pissed that her younger brother seems to have taken away this pleasure. She rescues a broken elevator button from the trash and tapes it up in her bedroom. When she pushes the button, she is transported on an adventure to a different, fascinating place each time. But, it is when she finally shares her secret that she finds her greatest joy. Vibrant illustrations.
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March 5, 2021Picked up this book as part or the Library's "March Book Madness" because it was competing against How to Solve a Problem by Ashima Shiraishi and I wanted to be able to vote in the bracket.
It's a struggle guys, they are both soooo good, I'm having a hard time choosing.
Imaginative. Dynamic. Overflowing with positive messages about perspective and positivity. Both are well written and well illustrated.
Readers may also enjoy these picture books that talk about grit and perseverance: The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi, Life by Rylant, I am the Storm by Jan Yolen, and What do you Do with a Problem by Kobe Yamada.
Read them all! Yay books! - Alexis S.
It's a struggle guys, they are both soooo good, I'm having a hard time choosing.
Imaginative. Dynamic. Overflowing with positive messages about perspective and positivity. Both are well written and well illustrated.
Readers may also enjoy these picture books that talk about grit and perseverance: The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi, Life by Rylant, I am the Storm by Jan Yolen, and What do you Do with a Problem by Kobe Yamada.
Read them all! Yay books! - Alexis S.
Read
December 20, 2024Okay, I didn't care for this one. Iris was sort of a brat and she steals an elevator button out of the repairman's bucket as if it's okay. As far as I can tell, she learns nothing from her travels and the transition from thinking her little brother a traitor (for pushing HER elevator buttons) to taking him with her on her travels was pretty weak. I thought the illustrations were pedestrian (although the facial expressions were good). Nice ideas but poor execution.
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June 22, 2020This gorgeous, imaginative picture book is glorious. When little brother starts pushing the elevator buttons, a job that used to belong to big sister, she is not very happy. After an elevator mishap, she swipes a broken elevator button from the maintenance man and tapes it up in her room. When she pushes the button, she discovers that it takes her to a different, fascinating place each time. But she can't spend all her time in magical places - she has a little brother who needs her, after all. This is a book that older siblings will definitely relate to and it combines wonder and whimsy with a strong loving message about the bond of siblings.
September 6, 2020
Iris loves pushing the elevator buttons. It's her job, until she is suddenly usurped by her little brother. Annoyed, she rescues an elevator button panel from the trash, and is delighted to find that pushing this button transports her to far away places. Now, she must decide whether to go alone, or to allow her irritating baby brother to come along on the adventures.
Bright illustrations, and a story with a sense of creativity and adventure. Right now, in the middle of this pandemic, I think we'd all like to push an elevator button and go somewhere else.
Bright illustrations, and a story with a sense of creativity and adventure. Right now, in the middle of this pandemic, I think we'd all like to push an elevator button and go somewhere else.
April 25, 2021
A not-quite wordless picture book about a magical elevator button and the bond between siblings. Use this one as mentor text for teaching visual literacy. Or if you're looking for a book in which reading the pictures is as important as reading the text.
4/24/21 Update - My timing for reading this one was perfect! One day later and it's now a 2021-22 Star of the North nominee.
4/24/21 Update - My timing for reading this one was perfect! One day later and it's now a 2021-22 Star of the North nominee.
May 29, 2020
Caldecott Club 2021 selection. I am so excited to share this book with our kids!
August 19, 2020
A fantastic, magical story with awesome graphic novel-style illustrations by Dan Santat.
July 24, 2021
Almost five stars. Great team of creators! Yes, I enjoyed Drawn Together, too.
The first quibble I have with this is that the child pushes elevator buttons when she's out of sorts/down.... but she does so every day.... I think the book would have been stronger if the sections were divided elsewise than by attaching a day to them, to allow for ordinary days. The second quibble is that the theme and the journeys are so much the focus that I didn't realize until the examination after the first read that not many of the characters actually expressively do anything; they're pretty flat.
Still, I do recommend.
The first quibble I have with this is that the child pushes elevator buttons when she's out of sorts/down.... but she does so every day.... I think the book would have been stronger if the sections were divided elsewise than by attaching a day to them, to allow for ordinary days. The second quibble is that the theme and the journeys are so much the focus that I didn't realize until the examination after the first read that not many of the characters actually expressively do anything; they're pretty flat.
Still, I do recommend.
July 9, 2020
This picture book graphic novel is absolutely delightful. It's appealing for both picture book audiences and older children, and it's also a lot of fun for adults. Anyone who has ever argued with a sibling over who gets to push the elevator button will relate to this, and I loved the flights of fancy with the magical elevator button and the message about sharing adventures with a sibling.
July 21, 2020
Never underestimate the power and thrill of pressing all the buttons.
April 13, 2021
وقتی تنها لذتت فشاردادن دکمه� آسانسور باشه و مجبور شی بهخاط� داداش کوچیکت از این هم بگذری... بوووم!
August 31, 2020
cute story with lots of pictures about a little girl who loves pushing elevator buttons.
January 24, 2021
Ha! This picture book is definitely a fun one and one you could have a good time with. Iris got mad when things changed in her normal routine but then, she found a solution. Little did she know that solution would lead her on magical journeys that began in her own bedroom.
Iris loved to push the elevator buttons in the apartment building that she lived in with her family. It always made her happy and she could count on it to cheer her up. Whenever they needed to push one of the elevator buttons, Iris would step right up and DING, she’d push the correct button.
She doesn’t know what happened that Thursday but once her family got inside the elevator to go up to their apartment, her little brother reached right over and pushed the elevator button before Iris had a chance. WHAT!! Her brother was so proud and excited and her parents, well�. they had the same reaction. Iris, she was mad! Then, on Friday when they left their apartment and again, got inside the elevator, her brother reached over and pushed the button AGAIN! Oh, the look on Iris� face! I loved this part!! She doesn’t hold back her anger, nope! What does she do? Yell? Scream? Iris reaches over and she pushes all the buttons and her family stops on all the floors. This, my friend, I can see happening. How does everyone on the elevator feel now? I liked this part of the book as it shows through the text and the illustrations a lot about the characters.
When they finally reach the lobby, there’s a repair man fixing the other elevator. He’s currently replacing the elevator’s wall button and Iris notices when he throws the broken button in the trash can. Ah! Yep, Iris quickly grabs the broken elevator button and she shoves it into her coat pocket. I liked how most of this activity is told without words. Following the text boxes, the illustrations tell the story. Once home and safety behind her bedroom door, Iris takes the broken elevator button out of her pocket. After grabbing some tape, she tapes it up on her wall. She pushes the button (just for good measure)and starts to walks away when “DING!�
Don’t you love it? I would love to read this to a child or to a classroom and see what they think is going to happen next because it’s time to turn the page and then, Iris has an amazing adventure. Iris does return to her family’s apartment for just a bit and then, Iris is ready and we hear a DING!
I really loved this book and I have to get a copy of this. I love how it opens up the avenue for discussions and possibilities. I liked how Iris got angry and how she dealt with it, it was honest and representative of how some children might handle that situation, I think. I wished her parents would have said something to her about her behavior, not a lecture but something to address it. I thought her adventures were fun and entertaining and I think, children will like them too. The illustrations in this book are fantastic. The detail and the colors really bring out the story. It’s a mixture of a story book and wordless book as there were pages that didn’t have any words and you just had to follow the pictures to understand the storyline. Iris� feelings towards her brother were fitting and her actions at the end of the book were really sweet. This is definitely a good book to read to the children in your life. 4.75 stars
Iris loved to push the elevator buttons in the apartment building that she lived in with her family. It always made her happy and she could count on it to cheer her up. Whenever they needed to push one of the elevator buttons, Iris would step right up and DING, she’d push the correct button.
She doesn’t know what happened that Thursday but once her family got inside the elevator to go up to their apartment, her little brother reached right over and pushed the elevator button before Iris had a chance. WHAT!! Her brother was so proud and excited and her parents, well�. they had the same reaction. Iris, she was mad! Then, on Friday when they left their apartment and again, got inside the elevator, her brother reached over and pushed the button AGAIN! Oh, the look on Iris� face! I loved this part!! She doesn’t hold back her anger, nope! What does she do? Yell? Scream? Iris reaches over and she pushes all the buttons and her family stops on all the floors. This, my friend, I can see happening. How does everyone on the elevator feel now? I liked this part of the book as it shows through the text and the illustrations a lot about the characters.
When they finally reach the lobby, there’s a repair man fixing the other elevator. He’s currently replacing the elevator’s wall button and Iris notices when he throws the broken button in the trash can. Ah! Yep, Iris quickly grabs the broken elevator button and she shoves it into her coat pocket. I liked how most of this activity is told without words. Following the text boxes, the illustrations tell the story. Once home and safety behind her bedroom door, Iris takes the broken elevator button out of her pocket. After grabbing some tape, she tapes it up on her wall. She pushes the button (just for good measure)and starts to walks away when “DING!�
Don’t you love it? I would love to read this to a child or to a classroom and see what they think is going to happen next because it’s time to turn the page and then, Iris has an amazing adventure. Iris does return to her family’s apartment for just a bit and then, Iris is ready and we hear a DING!
I really loved this book and I have to get a copy of this. I love how it opens up the avenue for discussions and possibilities. I liked how Iris got angry and how she dealt with it, it was honest and representative of how some children might handle that situation, I think. I wished her parents would have said something to her about her behavior, not a lecture but something to address it. I thought her adventures were fun and entertaining and I think, children will like them too. The illustrations in this book are fantastic. The detail and the colors really bring out the story. It’s a mixture of a story book and wordless book as there were pages that didn’t have any words and you just had to follow the pictures to understand the storyline. Iris� feelings towards her brother were fitting and her actions at the end of the book were really sweet. This is definitely a good book to read to the children in your life. 4.75 stars
February 9, 2021
Lift is a picturebook graphic novel about the power of imagination and sibling rivalry/love. It's a cute, relatable story with a heartwarming ending.
Dan Santat's cartoonish illustrations are very expressive.
Dan Santat's cartoonish illustrations are very expressive.
June 20, 2020
Everyone really can use a lift sometime, as Iris learns in this inventive graphic novel for early readers. Many readers will connect with the theme of adapting to life with a sibling, especially Iris's grudging protectiveness of her younger brother after he co-opts her favorite job: pushing the buttons on the elevator! Then a magical elevator button panel opens a portal to new adventures. Author Mînh Le and illustrator Dan Santat depict the magic found in not just discovering an adventure, but sharing it.
July 22, 2020
What kid hasn't raced to be the first one to push the button in the elevator? And what kid wouldn't love to have an elevator that took them to amazing and unexpected places?
This wonderful picture celebrates that clever and oh-so kid authentic idea, imagination - with a little sibling rivalry and love thrown in.
Dan Santat's outstanding and expressive illustrations are the perfect match to Mihn Le's story. This is a treat to read over and over to absorb all the details.
This wonderful picture celebrates that clever and oh-so kid authentic idea, imagination - with a little sibling rivalry and love thrown in.
Dan Santat's outstanding and expressive illustrations are the perfect match to Mihn Le's story. This is a treat to read over and over to absorb all the details.
May 15, 2020
I’m always in search of a good graphic novel that I might pass along to my granddaughters. I love this little book. The illustrations were fabulous and the story moved right along. My son was a wet paint kid so I very much relate to a button pushing kid. I’m gonna put this on my list of books to buy for the granddaughters.
November 12, 2024
Iris is a little girl who loves to push the button in the elevator. One day, her little brother beats her to it, leaving Iris feeling angry and betrayed (We have this problem with our children and waving at the motion-sensor door opener at the library). On the plus side, she finds an old elevator button, tapes it to the wall in her bedroom, and discovers a doorway for her creativity and emotions. The writing is sparse and the conflict/resolution is perhaps a little too simple, but I love what it says about imagination the bond between siblings.
September 2, 2020
Nicely illustrated picture book about a girl whose job is to push the elevator buttons for her family - until her younger brother usurps her role. Is the joy in being in charge or in sharing?
Recommended by my sibling, we all need a lift this year.
Recommended by my sibling, we all need a lift this year.
September 1, 2020
Fun picture book with beautiful illustrations.
August 24, 2020
A touch of imagination tossed with a dose of reality. Younger siblings can be annoying. But also kinda fun. Especially when it comes to a magical elevator.
November 2, 2019
What a marvel of a book from dynamic duo Lê and Santat! Iris is used to being the one to push the elevator buttons in her family's apartment building... until one day when her little brother betrays her by pressing one first. When the elevator breaks, Iris swipes the old lift button and tapes it to her wall by the door. When she dings it, the door takes her to other worlds-- jungles, deep space, and who knows where else! Lift is the kind of book that makes you believe in magic-- sure to become a family favorite.
May 27, 2021
WOW, what a magical story! I really loved it, though I wish that the parents would have understood what it meant for the girl to push the button. They could have expected what happened next. I would have done the same. I love that the girl finds a magical elevator button and has tons of adventures with jungles and more. I am not sure how I felt about the ending, on the one hand YAY, on the other hand.... eh. A bit conflicted.
The art was just outstanding and so gorgeous.
All in all, read this one.
The art was just outstanding and so gorgeous.
All in all, read this one.
July 2, 2020
This book is charming. A young girl, with an even younger brother who has taken over her job of pushing elevator buttons, finds a button for herself. The illustrations open up a world of imagination for readers, and the interaction between the siblings is perfect.
July 10, 2020
This was adorable and refreshingly original. I thought I knew where it was going but I did not. I can't think of anyone of any age who wouldn't enjoy this from the littlest of picture book readers to adult graphic novel lovers. It's also one of the best big sibling books I've seen in awhile.
August 20, 2020
Loved it, loved it, loved it! I can imagine that MANY children imagine what it would lbe like to push the elevator button and watch the doors open to something totally unexpected. So much going on here with sibling relationships and will make a great addition to our SEL collection of books.
April 29, 2020
So much fun! Can't wait to see this one in person.
May 12, 2020
Such a creative story. The illustrations are amazing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
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