All by Myself! Géraldine Collet. Illustrated by Coralie Saudo. Translated by Sarah Quinn. Toronto, ON: Owlkids Books, 2012. 32 pp., hardcover & ePdf., $16.95 (hc.), $15.95 (ePdf.). ISBN 978-1-926973-12-8 (hc.), ISBN 978-1-926973-13-5 (ePdf.). Preschool-grades 1 / Ages 3-6. Review by Kate Hachborn. ***½ /4

excerpt:

Ivan said our mothers would be gone for a long time.

“At least until lunch,” thought Lily.

“What if they don’t come back before it gets really dark?” worried Leonard.

“OR EVER!” wailed Shirley.

So I got scared. Just like Shirley and Leonard and Lily and Ivan.

Little Chick is left in the chicken coop while Mama goes to peck for grain. Reminiscent of the situation of children who are dropped at day care while their parents go to work, Little Chick and his four friends begin to panic that their mothers will not return and that terrible things will happen to them. In their panic and by trying to distract each other, all of the chicks become preoccupied and begin to enjoy themselves.

     All By Myself! provides a positive perspective on the power of a peer’s influence. Little Chick’s emotions are validated, and he does not have to be ashamed of his feelings because the other chicks are feeling the same way. Collet provides a range of emotions, including fear, sadness, worry and panic, which are realistic in the context of the story. Each chick develops a distinct personality which is important to the progress of the story and highlights the importance of the individual and the strengths that each member brings to a group.

     The mixed-media illustrations incorporate the text and offer the opportunity for young readers to compare each chick and identify them by their unique features. The setting, established in the first lines of text, is maintained throughout the book through the use of hay as a background for each page. This also provides a textural element to each illustration.

     Good to share or fun to read aloud, All By Myself! is a cute story that is relevant to and interesting for children.

Highly Recommended.

Kate Hachborn is a Library Technician at the W. Ross Macdonald School in Brantford, ON.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - April 13, 2012.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME