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On Picture Books


 







Writing is all about characters; all the plots are taken. Really, there are no new plots.


That's what makes "Chrysanthemum" special. The story couldn't be more pedestrian. A little mouse is bullied; finally, a smart teacher intercedes. It's the character details that earn this book the status of a classic.

To avoid school, a mouse slowly traces her name in sand (on a long, long walk from home). The bullying happens because of her name--so it's the name itself that finds its way onto the sand. At home, the mouse's slightly obsessive, nerdy father tries to enrich tiny vocabularies even while teaching lessons about social anxiety. (Pa Mouse holds a copy of a book called "Building a Resilient Rodent.") 

At school, the specific moments of bullying are sort of delightful:

"Her name has thirteen letters. That's half the alphabet."
"A flower grows in a garden--with worms."
"Thank God I'm named after my grandmother..."

Kevin Henkes has a new novel--part of the Danny Miller series--arriving in the fall. It's on my list.
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