In But perhaps, just maybe…, Duck and Hedgehog were heading to repair their bike tires one fine day when, “Cat zoomed past on her red motorcycle, riding by them and raising a billowing cloud of dust.” An outraged Duck declared:

“Horrible cat! She should have some consideration for others!”

Hedgehog however, was inclined to give Cat the benefit of the doubt:

“But perhaps, just maybe…,” Hedgehog suggested, “she’s rushing to help her sister, who fell and sprained one of her whiskers.”

Duck’s day didn’t improve. First Mr. Billy Goat rolled a huge rock on the path in front of Duck. (Hedgehog: “But perhaps, just maybe, Mr. Billy Goat saw a big hole in the road and sealed it off so no one would fall in.”)  Then they stopped to pick some raspberries but Mrs. Fox had picked them all. (Hedgehog: “Perhaps, just maybe, she saw that all the raspberries were very ripe and she picked them before they could spoil, to share them with friends.”)

“Really?” griped Duck, and he kicked at a small stone. “It doesn’t work that way, Hedgehog. Don’t you ‘but perhaps, just maybe’ me!”

But, in fact, Hedgehog was right.

When the two finally reached the bike shop, Duck was flabbergasted that Hedgehog had been spot-on in every single one of his “perhaps, just maybe” scenarios. They happily toasted their helpful friends with delicious, freshly squeezed raspberry juice.

A sweet moment, in every sense.

Adorably illustrated, But perhaps, just maybe… reminds picture book readers that instead of judging harshly and quickly, it’s worth trying to see from someone else’s perspective and finding out the bigger picture. Not a bad thing to learn, particularly in these times, when the ability to see through someone else’s eyes seems increasingly rare.

But perhaps, just maybe…
Written by Tuvia Dikman Oro
Illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt
Translated from the Hebrew by Gilah Khan-Hoffmann

2022, Green Bean Books

Read an interview with the author.

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Award-winning opera singer Nanette McGuinness is the translator of over 90 books and graphic novels for children and adults from French, Italian, German and Spanish into English, including the well-known Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novels. Two of her translations, Luisa: Now and Then and California Dreamin’: Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & the Papas were chosen for YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens; Luisa: Now and Then was also a 2019 Stonewall Honor Book. Recent translations include Magical History Tour: Slavery; LGBTQ manga Sirius: Twin Stars, The Sisters: My New Big Sister; Alice on the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War; Rosa Parks; Magical History Tour: First Steps on the Moon, Tiki: A Very Ruff Year; Makhno: Ukrainian Freedom Fighter; Bibi & Miyu#2, Chloe Green Thumb; and the critically acclaimed A House Without Windows.