Sheree Fitch

I think this book has some things that I like and some things that I don’t. I liked that this book had many different takes on the same idea which was riding a Ferris wheel. I think that the illustrations perfectly aided this by making the setting in many different places such as the rollercoaster being the edge of a laundry basket and the Ferris wheel being a washing machine. I also liked that the main idea was to show that children can very easily make new things magical and it is okay if they are afraid at first “are we brave enough brother?” and helps children understand that sometimes they may not be able to do things “are we big enough mama?” But when they finally get to experience it, it will be everything they hoped it would be. I liked that this book rhymed but the rhyming words were sometimes not where you would predict them to be which caused me to have to read and reread to make sure that the book was still making sense and that the rhyme was still being used. I felt that the repetition of this book would be beneficial to children when they read.… (meer)

This is the story of a little boy who struggles in school. No matter how much he concentrates, printing is too difficult. He begins a rock collection which helps him to use his imagination to take him mentally away from school. The rocks are his solace. Unfortunately, when his pockets become too heavy, his pants fell down in front of the whole class. A storyteller comes to the classroom. He also collects rocks. This gives the boy the courage to tell his story. Afterward, he spells his name with rocks.

Although I love the idea of the story, I found the text lengthy and the narration jumpy. I think a child who struggles with school would probably still enjoy it but might find it too long and wordy. I was disappointed with the editing. A book that is meant to appeal to a child who struggles in school, should have crisp, fast-paced narration.

The pictures, done by Helen Flook, are bright and eventful, mostly two-page spreads. Insights into the child’s imagination are especially engaging.… (meer)