Your Head’s Not the Place to Store Problems by Josh Pyke (Scholastic), RRP $26.99 Picture Book ISBN 9-781761-293023
Reviewed by Susan Hancy
Your Head’s Not the Place to Store Problems handles a serious
and important topic in a language and format that is appropriate for helping
our little humans work through what can sometimes be big worries. The
beautifully flowing rhyme by Josh Pyke is perfectly complimented and brought to
life with zany pictures by Stephen Michael King to produce an end product that
would make Dr Seuss proud.
The
story is about “a friend with a normal-sized brain that at times seems too
small for the thoughts it contains.” Travelling through the pages we can see
that a dog and a dragon, who are clearly mates, have too many things in their
heads. The things they’re trying to carry are falling out, they’re weighing
them down and making them drown. When the advice comes to set those things
free, we see the things floating away and the dog and dragon become instantly
lighter and more joyous. Even though the problems are still visible in the air
and don’t simply disappear, “they’ll become things to learn from, not simply to
fear.”
My
son and daughter both gave this book a big thumbs up. The images of getting
your worries out into the air by speaking to them has made an impression, so I
give it a big thumbs up as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.