________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIII Number 9. . . .November 4, 2016

cover

Lucy & Company.

Marianne Dubuc.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2016.
56 pp., hardcover, $17.95.
ISBN 978-1-77138-662-3.

Preschool-kindergarten / Ages 2-5.

Review by Meredith Cleversey.

*** /4

   

excerpt:

Lucy has found a treasure map.

“Hi, Lucy!” says Henry.

“What are you doing?” the others ask her.

“I’m looking for the treasure buried under this big red X. According to the map, I need to walk in the direction of the hollow tree.

“Wait for us, Lucy!” shout the four friends, leaving their game behind.

 

Lucy always has fun with her friends in the forest. Whether it’s sharing snacks, finding treasure, or taking care of hatchlings, there are plenty of opportunities for unexpected adventures with Henry the rabbit, Dot the turtle, Marcel the mouse, and Adrian the snail.

     Lucy & Company, written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc, is a compilation of three separate, short stories about Lucy and her friends’ days in the forest. In “The Snack”, Lucy finds the perfect place to eat her snack, and one by one her friends join her, each sharing their food so everyone has an exciting array of treats. In “The Treasure Hunt”, Lucy leads the way in a treasure hunt that ends with a special birthday surprise. And in “The Hatchlings”, Lucy and the others hunt for the best place to help keep three new hatchlings warm.

      Each individual adventure is told with simple text and soft-hued illustrations, and all three stories can easily be read in one sitting. The gentle humour and sweet friendships of Lucy & Company channels the classic woodland stories of Winnie-the-Pooh, a comparison furthered by the map of the woods featured at the beginning of the book. The text and story structure also share similarities with the modern favourite Peppa Pig, making this collection a sure hit with readers in search of cozy stories about play dates with good friends.

      Dubuc’s illustrations are a perfect match for the sweet nature of her text. The light colours and abundant use of green and blue make the woods appear bright and sunny, a setting warm and inviting for readers travelling to the forest for the first time. Lucy and her friends all feature rosy cheeks and happy smiles which emphasize their joy at spending time together. The text is limited to one or two sentences per page, leaving the illustrations to take up the majority of the space, thereby making this collection a good choice for pre-readers and early readers alike.

      Lucy & Company will delight those in search of sweet stories about adventure and fun shared between good friends.

Recommended.

Meredith Cleversey, a librarian in Cambridge, ON, loves to read, write, and live in a world of pure imagination.

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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