Reviewed by Dannielle Viera
Nova has created a portrait for
her dad’s birthday, but now she can’t find it – and the party is about to
start! As she and her dog, Harley, search high and low for her missing
masterpiece, Nova experiences an array of overwhelming emotions, from anger to
frustration. Yet Harley stays serene. He takes a deep breath, drinks from his
bowl and howls like he’s singing. Nova decides to follow Harley’s lead. She
does some belly breathing, grabs a glass of water, and listens to soothing
music. As she begins to feel better, she stretches out on the couch and
discovers the artwork under a cushion.
Brooke Graham’s dynamic language
draws children aged four to nine into Nova’s frantic forage, where an emotional
roller-coaster awaits. But they are not left to tackle the twists and turns of
the big dipper on their own. Along with Nova, readers discover a plethora of
psychological tools that they can rely on when the ride of life becomes too
bumpy: self-regulation, resilience, and persistence.
Rich colours radiate from Robin
Tatlow-Lord’s busy images, especially a fiery red that reflects Nova’s rage.
This is carefully balanced with cool green when Nova is calm. Robin cleverly
reveals Nova’s increasing agitation by making the vignettes of the protagonist
larger and larger. Young eyes will eagerly scour the detailed room
illustrations, hoping to help Nova by locating her artwork.
A must for every child’s
bookshelf, Nova’s Missing Masterpiece is a marvellous guide to managing
enormous feelings. The uncomplicated techniques are effectively mini mental
reset buttons that kids can tuck away in their mind until needed.
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