Children’s Picture Book Review

by Darcy White

We are approaching the season of winter festivities and gift-giving, a time when grown-ups often enjoy gifting picture-books to the youngest members of our circle. I have been looking at the best of this year’s crop for those relevant to the difficult times we are living through. 

Talking with young children about subjects such as climate change and biodiversity loss, racism and intolerance, or feelings of alienation and social anxiety is inherently difficult and must be handled with care. Picture books can offer a vehicle for doing this.

For me a great picture-book is one where the story flows but is also surprising in some way; it might have a fresh angle or an intriguing character. The text must be understandable and coherent, but does not say everything; it asks something of the reader/listener, drawing them into thinking about what is being said. Detail can be provided through the illustrations; they work in tandem. 

The illustrations must be compelling, and they should stand up to repeat viewings. Importantly, there must be care in the ways that people and other characters are represented. I don’t want to see stereotypes based on class, gender, ethnicity or ability, nor the perpetuation of legacies from our colonial past. Fortunately, some authors are highly skilled at avoiding stereotypes; instead, they celebrate and normalise difference in subtle ways.

Stories based around the animal world are abundant in kids’ picture books, and all but one of my choices reflects this. Recurring themes include encouraging resilience and self-belief, the power of community and solidarity, even against the powerful. All the books listed below have been published in the past year and are widely available.  

MY SELECTION:

Acclaimed children’s author Lu Fraser and illustrator Sarah Warburton have collaborated on ‘Basil Dreams Big’ (3yrs+). This is a story about a young bat who lacks self-confidence; a book ‘perfect for encouraging resilience and self-belief’. The illustrations are gorgeous and imaginative. The protagonists, a bat and a moth, are full of character and there are beautiful cameos for their fellow woodland creatures. Fraser’s skilful rhyming text is quietly funny with plenty to keep the grown-ups amused too.

‘Quiet’ (3yrs+) by creators Tom Percival and Richard Jones, is an unusually direct tale that rails against deforestation through the experience of a small young bird. The story speaks to the right of the youngest members of our society to be listened to; especially when their elders refuse to listen. The determined young bird convinces her fellow creatures to come together to stop a tree-felling machine, but not through fighting. Only when everyone listens and understands does the machine stop and the workers take the machine away. 

‘I Follow the Fox’ (5yrs+) by Rob Biddulph is a dreamtime adventure about a small boy’s personal mission to find his favourite toy, but the wider context is, arguably, one of climate change and the need to act to rescue the situation. This is achieved with great subtlety but offers an opportunity for an adult to engage with the subject. The story, characters and sundry details, revealed through words and pictures, will delight the reader.

‘This is who I am’ (5yrs+) is a joyful book celebrating children with shared heritage by author Rashmi Sirdeshpande and illustrator Ruchi Mhasane. A young girl reflects on the richness of her heritage, realising she is the sum of all the ‘worlds she belongs to’; India, the country her parents left, and the place they made their home. ‘I am the kindness of the people who made them feel welcome… And the strength they found when others did not’. Soft images and a warm colour palette deliver this gentle narrative about a child who finds she is proud to be who she is. 

In ‘The Search for Carmella’ (5-7yrs), Chloe Savage combines fantastically creative, colour-rich illustrations with a great theme on the hidden wonders of the oceans. helping readers appreciate the diversity of the natural world. The story is about not always finding what you are looking for, but realising that the natural world, and the people in it, can surprise you.  

‘Lennie the Veggie’ (5-8yrs) by Sue Banner; a heartwarming and often funny story with important messages about the right to be different particularly when making ethical choices. Employing an easy-to-read rhyming text and delicate illustrations, making it an engaging book despite its serious subject matter about the courage of a young lion in the face of peer pressure. 

These are difficult times for us all, not least for children. ‘The Grand Hotel of Feelings’ (4-8yrs) by Lidia Brankovic is a great book to help talk to children about feelings, and ‘The Mushroom of Doom!’ (3-7yrs) helps kids to understand that even when they are feeling bad it’s not good to take it out on others. 

Lastly, a book by two local creatives: author Andy Evans and illustrator Lucy Flemming.‘The Further Adventures of Erig the Earwig!’ (5-8yrs) is a follow-up to their previous multi award-winning book, the Little Adventures of Erig the Earwig. Their aim is to educate ‘children and adults about the environment in a fun, engaging way’. You can meet Andy and Lucy at their book-launch on 7^th December, 11:00 am-4:00 pm; a free, family-friendly event in the Winter Gardens, Sheffield.