Review: If the Shoe Fits

By Krista Bell; Illustrated By Craig Smith

Charlesbridge; 2008; 64 pages

Easy Reader; Short Chapter

Grades: Kindergarten - 3rd

ISBN: 978-1-58089-338-1

Cassie loves to dance, and dreams of being a professional dancer...if only she can overcome her fear of having an audience!

My Thoughts:
I am torn as to how to review this book. On the one hand, it was an engaging story which I feel kid's would relate to. On the other hand, I am not sure I agree with it being classified as an easy reader. The vocabulary in the book is fairly advanced, and some of it is quite specialized to dance. Also, the pictures are more of an afterthought. They illustrate the text, but will not help readers decode the text. It would be a great first chapter book, when readers are just starting to venture away from easy readers and into the fiction section. In that way, it is either the most advanced easy reader, or the least advanced juvenile chapter book.

That said, the book had good points and bad points. The pictures, though secondary to the text, were not particularly well done. I would have liked to perhaps see a little bit of color. The black and white sketches tended toward the messy, and perhaps color would have aided in decoding them. (Professional reviewers, below, did not agree with me.) The story was well done though. I appreciated that the best dancer in Cassie's class was a boy named Jake, whose father was also a talented dancer. It is refreshing to have a book that breaks stereotypes, especially since this as an easy reader it has a younger audience. I also felt that the characters were well developed. Children will sympathize with Cassie being torn between wanting to dance and being afraid to. This age group is just beginning to learn that emotions can be complicated, and things aren't always straight forward. It is important for them to be given examples of other people successfully coping with difficult situations.

The Thoughts of Others:

Kirkus Reviews actually felt that this book was not an easy reader. They did give it a positive review, though. They appreciated the illustrations and "likeable characters."

Sally Murphy reviewed the book for AussieReviews. She actually called it a junior novel, stating that the "high ratio of illustration to text and bite-sized chapters ...make the book accessible to readers as young as six or seven." She summed up the entire work with one word: lovely.

Review: Scaredy Squirrel

By: Melanie Watt

Kids Can Press; 2006; 40 pages

Picture Book;

Award Winner: ALA’s Notable Children’s Book; Cybil; Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children’s Picture Book; Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award; Blue Spruce Award

Ages: Preschool to 2nd Grade

ISBN: 978-1-55337-959-1

Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of absolutely everything, including green martians. He develops an emergency kit, an exit plan, and never leaves his tree. When Scaredy Squirrel is forced out into the world, he learns that "new" and "different" do not always mean "bad" and "scary." He finds his courage, and begins to embrace adventure.

My Thoughts:

This book should be dedicated to neurotics everywhere. As someone who has control issues, I was able to identify with the main character in strange and unusual ways. Scaredy Squirrel has an escape plan and an emergency kit which addresses every possible eventuality. (As a kid, I had a plan for what to do if my house was invaded by raptors from the Jurassic Park films.) What is great about this book, is that it doesn't minimize Scaredy Squirrel's fears. It doesn't ever diminish him as a squirrel for having them. Rather it shows how, by facing his fears, he is able to lead a richer and more fulfilling life. That is a concept that is important for kids. They need to know that it is ok to be afraid, but that they can face those fears. At the end of the book, Scaredy Squirrel is still nervous...he isn't "fixed" as one would suppose. The resolution comes from the fact that he is now willing to step away from his tree and try new things.

The text in this book is at a fairly simple level. It is engaging enough to make it a good read aloud book, but easy enough that insecure or early readers can try it on their own. The pictures are also incredibly engaging. They are extremely bold in their lines, and the colors (while limited) make a statement. Many books about fear depict the "scary" things in a dark and menacing way, that can actually CAUSE children to be more afraid. This book, however, shows them in a light and humorous way, that is very non-threatening. Children can empathize with Scaredy Squirrel without joining in his paranoia.

The Thoughts of Others:

Publisher's Weekly had a very positive 2006 review of Watt's book. They noted that she "largely dispenses with conventional visual storytelling," using instead "goofy charts and diagrams" which "spoof all the sincerely inane worksheets that are the staple of elementary school homework." (This was something I had not actively picked up on, but is useful in teaching literacy skills. Children need to learn to interpret diagrams and charts in addition to reading traditional text.)

School Library Journal also picked up on the plethora of diagrams versus standard text. They felt, in their 2006 review, that the main character was endearing, and that the humor would appeal to children.