Fall Festival of Children’s Books

I strolled into the children’s room, trying to look casual. Quickly taking stock of the endless shelves filled with volume after volume of literature, it began to dawn on me that choosing a picture book to review for 5 Minutes for Books’ Fall Festival of Children’s Books would be no small task. It’s been, well, a while since I’ve ventured into the children’s room at any library. Since moving south five years ago, I haven’t been in the one at my local library even once. But this was not my local, worn-out, piddly little library. This was an up-to-date, state-of-the-art super-library. In my humble opinion, one of the best in all of New England. We’re talking nice, new building, entryway displays of all the latest books, book rental system, automated self-checkout, and a children’s room that took up about a third of the expansive first floor.

Needless to say, I was a bit overwhelmed. After glancing over at the audiobooks section at the far side of the room, I browsed through a large cluster of low-lying shelves. Seeing nothing but chapter books, I spotted a veritable forest of shelves, seven-foot-high monsters, packed with tall, skinny books. “Ah ha! That must be the picture books section!” Or so I thought. Turns out it was the reference section. Discouraged and a little bit dazed, I looked around desperately, not wanting to give in and ask the librarian for help. Finally, a glimmer of hope. A small section tucked away behind a display of new books looked promising. I dashed over and quickly decided that if I was going to go home with a picture book, it would be one from the display, not the myriad of books on the shelves. The spines were too thin to try and decipher. Now, with only a small selection to chose from, I set to work flipping through pages. My goal was to find a nice, friendly, non-controversial picture book. Something most parents would probably like.

At last, success! I settled on a book with beautiful illustrations of sweet looking children in 19th century attire. Emily written by Michael Bedard & illustrated by Barbara Cooney, is a delightful, educational, historical picture book that gives readers a peek into the private life of the beloved poet, Emily Dickinson.

In a yellow house surrounded by a tall hedge in Amherst, Massachusetts, lives a woman who hasn’t left its grounds in nearly twenty years. If strangers call, she runs and hides. Even when she invites visitors, she stays out of sight. People call her the Myth.

Yet the young girl who lives across the street knows something more about this secretive woman. One wet day when it is almost spring, her mother goes to play the piano at the yellow house, and she goes too. When no one is looking, she steals up the stairs and meets the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson. The unexpected encounter results in a surprising exchange of unusual gifts.

I was very impressed with the mature writing that filled the pages of this little book. It assumes that children can understand more than we give them credit for and the best way to teach youngsters is to set a good example. The story is sweet and subtle, and Cooney’s oil paintings are beautiful and historically accurate. Two thumbs up!