#blogbookaday: Small Things

Summary:  “On the cusp of having everything slip from his grasp, a young boy has to find a way to rebuild his sense of self. An ordinary boy in an ordinary world. With no words, only illustrations, Small Things tells the story of a boy who feels alone with worries but who learns that help is always close by. An extraordinary story, told simply and with breath taking beauty.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: A young boy’s anxiety chips away at him over the course of the story in a very literal sense in the shape of shadowy demons that start breaking down the boy. When he finally gets some help from his older sister, he can see that every one has their own worries, it’s the choices you make and how you react that are important. Finally, the boy reaches out to his parents and then reaches out to a schoolmate that looks like she could use some support.

Personal Reaction: This is an extremely powerful, wordless graphic novel about the anxiety and worry that affects one little boy and yet is so universal in its imagery. I think this would make a powerful addition to an older elementary and even middle school classroom and would be a great conversation starter for a class, book discussion or even one-on-one about anxiety, expectations, and self care. The author/illustrator sadly passed away before being able to complete the story, but the family consulted with Shaun Tan a fellow Australian illustrator to complete the final illustrations (the last three pages) to ensure that this story reached publication. A truly powerful story that will resonate with many.

Title: Small Things
Author: Mel Tregonning
Illustrator: Mel Tregonning
Publisher: Pajama Press
Publication Date: February 2, 2018

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!