The Little Bit Scary People by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger is a delightful story with one of the best messages I often try to remember. I’d like to think I’ve passed this message on to my kids but frankly I’m not so sure I have, so am glad we read this story. A little girl describes various people in her life-a kid on the street, the bus driver, the cafeteria lady, and so on, by describing them and saying they are a bit scary. The pictures do show people someone might be intimidated by. But then… she imagines what they might be like at other times and sees that they are no so scary. For example, (and I don’t remember exactly so this could be a wrong example but you get the gist), the mean looking bus driver might go home at night to her four kids and cuddle on the couch with them. The pierced and tough looking teenage boy looks scary, but in the mornings he lays in bed cuddling with his cat until his mom tells him to get up. And finally she is able to use the own example on people she actually knows something about (her own family) to reinforce it all. I love this idea that people have lives beyond what we see and someone who looks scary or intimidating, but not be. This is the kind of imagination I love (in fact, similar to the “people watching game” where you make up stories about strangers) and I highly recommend this book.
Imaginary friends sure get a good rap in picture books, stories, literature, movies, etc. I was always a little disappointed that not only did I not have one, but neither did either of my children. That said, they still make a good story. We all enjoyed The Adventures of Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat, very much. The as-yet-unnamed Beekle lives on an island with other imaginary friends. These creatures are fantastical and adorable. They live there until a child imagines them and names them. One by one the others are called up, until the blobby white creature with a crown is left there. He decides to go find his child himself and it is a very satisfying and happy ending when they do. Don’t miss the endpapers on either end of the book, which show each child with his or her complementary imaginary friend. It’s fun to see why the child dreamed up the creature.
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