________________ CM . . . . Volume XXII Number 10. . . .November 6, 2015

cover

Gerbil, Uncurled. (A Tell-Me-More! Storybook).

Alison Hughes. Illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo.
Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2015.
32 pp., hardcover & PDF , $18.95 (hc.).
ISBN 978-1-55455-332-7 (hc.), ISBN 978-1-55455-828-5 (PDF).

Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 4-7.

Review by Roxy Garstad.

**** /4

   

excerpt:

Morning after morning, Little Gerbil tried to sleep gerbil-style. But evening after evening, she awoke stretched out up top, and scurried under the bedding before the others woke up. Little Gerbil was miserable. She was living a gerbil lie.

 

Little Gerbil finds it difficult to follow the rules of gerbil life, specifically, to adhere to the Gerbil Mottos that govern her society. “Many paws make quick work” is one example that is easy to abide by, but others, such as, “Curl Up, Nose to Toes,” are more challenging for Little Gerbil.

internal art     After experiencing a particularly rough night of sleep, Little Gerbil decides to speak up and admit to her family that it is hard to follow the Mottos. As a result, she learns that she is not alone in this perception, and she inadvertently revolutionizes her tiny society. The Mottos are reworded to be more inclusive and accepting of differing perspectives and abilities.

     Gerbil, Uncurled is perfect for preschoolers and younger school-aged children. Those in that age group often question seemingly arbitrary rules that are established at home or at school. Children are reassured that everyone can, at times, struggle to fit into the norms of their family or society. The writing is slick and engaging. The illustrations are in plasticine and appear three-dimensional on the page. The end of the book features fast facts about rodents and gerbils, along with a section on how to create a gerbil figurine using plasticine.

Highly Recommended.

Roxy Garstad is the Collection Assessment Librarian at MacEwan University in Edmonton, AB.

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.
 

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