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CM . . .
. Volume VIII Number 18 . . . . May 10, 2002
excerpt:
"What do fairies look like?" asked Sam. "They're tiny and beautiful," said Stella, "and they fly very fast." "I see one!" said Sam. "Look!" "That's a butterfly, Sam," said Stella. "Do butterflies eat butter?" asked Sam. "Yellow butterflies do," said Stella. "Then I guess blue butterflies eat pieces of sky," said Sam. "How do you know that?" asked Stella. "I know a lot of things," said Sam.
Following
on the award-winning Stella, Star of the Sea and Stella, Queen
of the Snow, Marie-Louise Gay has placed her irrepressible pair of
siblings in a woodland setting. Ever-inquisitive Sam continues his wide-eyed
look at the natural world but, in addition to asking all-knowing Stella
his observant questions, he now offers a few answers of his own.
As they move through the meadow and into
the forest, they encounter ordinary sights that seem extraordinary when
viewed through Sam's amazed eyes. For instance, he believes that sheep
are clouds that have landed in the field and that butterflies are as
magical as fairies. Fearful of bears, bees and slippery rocks, Sam's
constant questions demand reassurance from his braver sister. Sam's
fears aren't always groundless, however, and the illustration of Stella
striding over the wet river rocks, with an apprehensive Sam on her back,
is followed by one in which they are both sitting in the river. When
it begins to rain, an undaunted Stella suggests they build a forest
shelter from ferns and branches. In this cozy nest, Sam at last relaxes
and extends Stella's make-believe game with a satisfying contribution
of his own.
Gay's trademark watercolor illustrations
perfectly capture the wonder and joy of a foray into the forest. Stella's
bold and adventurous spirit is particularly exemplified by the top view
in the meadow where she charges confidently ahead, red hair blazing
and arms outstretched to meet the world, whereas the smaller Sam, carrying
a big stick, trails hesitantly behind her. Using body language and space
to effect, Gay has managed to convey the very different personalities
of the siblings with a minimum of text and facial expressions.
Highly recommended. Alison
Mews is the head of the Curriculum Materials Centre at the Faculty of
Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's NF.
To comment on this
title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal
use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other
reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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