Reviewed by Claire
Stuckey
Issy often wonders
“what if …”, sometimes this can be quite worrying, especially at night. Issy’s
mother however reframes the question with many wonderful “what if” scenarios as
they lay together one evening. Mums’ scenarios are lovely, silly, and
comforting. Issy puts herself in these situations as they feature a cupcake
tree, bright coloured clouds, and elephant shaped stars. Issy is also embedded
in the reverse conditions when teachers are being taught by children. Issy then
selects some of her own funny but appropriate “what ifs” including a wise owl
to watch over her at night as she tires and then falls asleep.
This picture book
has lovely cheerful endpapers that set the tone for the affirmative themes in
this book. Dealing with a child’s anxiety can be difficult and the use of
positive imagination provides a nice story. Children will laugh at the silly
scenes and think about their own way of choosing a “what if” instead of a
worry. Unlike many other worry themed books, this does not dwell on the fears
of children which often tends to escalate the problem. The constructive and
encouraging way that the mother promotes imagination into a positive narrative
makes this a useful resource for families. The pastel palette of colours provides a calming mood for the title’s content.
Recommended for ages 4-7 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.