We always have new picture books pouring into the libraries. Here are two of my favorites.
In a Jar, by Deborah Marcero
Llewellyn was a sentimental young rabbit, saving up his memories in jars: leaves, feathers, and pretty rocks. When Llewellyn made a new friend in Evelyn, his collecting became magical. He handed her a jar full of the sunset on the sea, which glowed all night on her dresser. Together, they collected laughter, skating adventures, and the wind just before snow falls in jars that came to fill Llewellyn’s house. When Evelyn had to move away, they were afraid that their treasured times had come to an end. One day, however, Evelyn found a way to continue to share their friendship— in jars.
Llewellyn and Evelyn are drawn in almost cartoon style, with square heads and ears that shoot straight up on the sides. There are no parents to be seen, but when Evelyn waves goodbye from the back of her family car, there are white tips of ears peeking up over the front seats. The illustrations reflect Llewellyn’s emotions: sometimes light and breezy, other times deep and vibrant, and, once, even gray. These are pictures that will have children poring over the details, full of new objects to discover with each repeated reading. Sensitive children and those struggling with changes will love this story and its hopeful ending.
Cowie, by Elizabeth Rose Stanton
Cowie was a donkey who wanted to be a cow. He loved everything about them: their soft ears, their kind eyes, and the that way the grass was always greener on their side of the fence. Cows were the very picture of contentment, and Cowie was the epitome of discontent. He tried standing with the cows and acting like a cow, but he could not be a cow. His friends Duckie and Mousie tried to help out, telling Cowie to moo like a cow, but when he took a deep breath, it came out, “Ooooom.” The silliness continues as the friends try one scheme after another to get the sound to turn out right.
Our church women’s group is currently following a book study on the topic of contentment, so I shared the first half of this book with them. We have all been Cowie at one time or another! Stanton’s illustrations are large, soft, and sweet, with a generous amount of white space. Children will laugh at the animals’ attempts to help this donkey to turn into a cow, showing the dedication and loyalty of true friends. I have a slight quibble with the ending, since the animals solve the problem of the “Moo,” but not—in my mind, at least—the original problem of discontent. Children will probably not see this, but rather will be charmed and amused by the lovely animals and their bumbling adventures.
Disclaimer: I read library copies of both of these books. Opinions expressed are solely my own and may not reflect those of my employer or anyone else.
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