Reviewed by Debra Williams
Young Minnie May is afraid of everything, including her own shadow. It follows her everywhere, swirling in the water, crouching under her bed, reaching with black claws from the trees and looming large and terrifying in the tall buildings around. Minnie’s only way of escape is to hide, crouching low under a large parasol until the shadow shrinks away.
One day when Minnie is hiding, she spies another shadow, larger than her own. The shadow belongs to an older boy called Ziggy. Ziggy isn’t afraid and shows Minnie many things that can be done with shadows, such as telling the time and casting shadow puppets on the wall. They swing high together and make their shadows fly through the air. Now Minnie isn’t afraid of her shadow any more, in fact, she likes her shadow.
The key points from the publisher are that the story is one of self-acceptance and emotional awareness in young children. It embodies strong themes of overcoming your fears and uses vibrant illustrations to encourage imaginative play with others. These themes will resonate with young children in a wide range of settings.
The
author, Dr Kate Forsyth, is an award-winning poet, author and storyteller.
