Little Pea

Little Pea’s origin story is a window into the quirky world of a child born so small that he sleeps inside a matchbox and rides a grasshopper instead of a horse. When Pea learns to swim and climb, these activities are also adapted to his unique size as Little Pea uses a bathroom sink rather than the local pool and scales a collection of blocks instead of playing in a climbing gym. The rubber duck he uses in the pool is twice his size, and a stack of six blocks looms as tall as a two-storey house. The inventive ways that he finds to enjoy life at the size of something that could be lost in a pocket is entertaining on every page.

When Little Pea starts school, it is much harder for him because the world outside of his home isn’t as easily adapted. The commute is hazardous, and he is far too small to participate in activities like gym and music class. Unfortunately, even something like lunch hour is a struggle for Little Pea. His ability to redesign his home life so that he can manage tasks on a smaller scale is directly contrasted with the challenges he faces in the school environment, especially so when readers see Pea trying to grasp the knife and fork which are three times taller than he is. The tension in the story grows further when he is seated alone beside a tree while the clamor of recess happens around him and he becomes afraid of being squished by a ball. Pea doesn’t give up. He copes with challenges by focusing on his art, and the book ends with him building a cozy home and a successful career as an artist. He drives a spiffy windup toy car and has a custom-built studio made of a shoe box where he works each day on postage stamp designs.

There is a classic feel to the illustrations in this picture book. Other than Little Pea himself, the only other characters are his teacher and the children on the playground, and all are dressed in clothing that could be seen on the street at any time in the last 60 years. Pea favors a Breton stripe and jacket or polka dot pajamas, and all the accessories which surround him could also be found in homes of the past. There are no televisions, computers, or smartphones in his world, and he entertains himself by reading, playing with stuffed animals, or learning to walk a tightrope stretched across a wastebasket. These choices, combined with the muted colour scheme, make for a relaxing trip into the world of a person who always makes the best of his smaller size.

Little Pea is an entirely charming book that invites readers to find joy in every part of life, whether it is playing with toys, encouraging plants to grow, or exploring art because it’s impossible to know where these passions will lead.