Children's Book Reviews
All the Better To See You With!
Written by Margaret Wild
Illustrated by Pat Reynolds
Albert Whitman, 1993
As the quiet one in a big and noisy family, Kate often seems to fade into the background. She does have her own special times though, like when her Mom brushes her long hair and they recite lines from Little Red Riding Hood."What big, brown eyes you have!" exclaims Kate's mother, to which Kate replies, "All the better to see you with, my dear." But, unfortunately, no one notices that Kate really doesn't see very well. The climax comes one day at the beach when Kate cannot find her family because "all the umbrellas and the people look the same." At this point, Kate's parents realize that she is nearsighted. They take her for an eye examination and Kate finally gets the eye glasses that she needs to see properly.
Margaret Wild's book presents a realistic family setting. Kate is not totally ignored, she just isn't always noticed in the daily hustle and bustle of family life. The soft lines and colours of Pat Reynold's illustrations also portray a warm and lively family. Several pictures show us the world as Kate sees it, both before and after she gets her glasses.
The visit to the eye doctor is shown only briefly but Kate's anticipation as she waits for her glasses is well described. The reader feels Kate's excitement as she wonders what it will be like to "really see." This is a very positive story that will be particularly enjoyed by children who are faced with the prospect of getting glasses.
Go Away, Big Green Monster!
Written and illustrated by Ed Emberley
Little, Brown & Co., 1992
Ed Emberley is well-known for his drawing books that teach children how to turn shapes into clever pictures. In Go Away, Big Green Monster! Emberley helps children cope with their nighttime fears by creating a monster out of simple shapes and then making it disappear.
As you turn each die-cut page, a new feature appears -- such as "a long, bluish-greenish nose" and "scraggly purple hair" -- until a Big Green Monster emerges before your eyes. Continue turning the pages and each feature disappears, as a child declares, "GO AWAY, long bluish-greenish nose," and "Go AWAY, scraggly purple hair." Eventually, there is nothing left of the monster. The final empowering cry is, "GO AWAY, Big Green Monster! and DON'T COME BACK until I say so."
Bold colours make this monster a strong character, although the effect is softened by the use of funny words like scraggly and squiggly. The simple shapes help break down the monster and the child's fears into manageable parts. Besides helping children chase away their nighttime fears, Go Away, Big Green Monster! is also a fun story for monster fans. Ed Emberley has created one monster that children will want to invite back again and again.
Elizabeth Thornley is a librarian in the Children's Department of the Ottawa Public Library in
Ottawa, Ontario.
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This article first appeared in Interaction published by the Canadian Child Care Federation, Winter, 1995. |
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