Little Blue by Gaye Chapman

My friend Elaine and I read together every Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock. We often have new books to share, like the version of The Princess and The Pea that I took her a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday, Elaine had a book she couldn't wait for next week to share with me, Little Blue by Gaye Chapman.

Here's what Publisher's Weekly had to say about the book:

Little Blue, a girl with blue hair and a blue-and-white china-pattern dress, surprises Will when he meets her in the forest. He's dressed like a British schoolchild, but Little Blue is different, not quite human-and she's lost. Will and Little Blue set out to find her home. As she wistfully describes its features ("My home has a blue river twinkling under willows. I miss my river") they appear in rough blue crayon in the air behind her. From the outset, Chapman (Kaito's Cloth) makes it evident that their search is a voyage of the imagination; Will shrinks to Little Blue's size as they balance on mushrooms and climb the delicate branches of blossoming trees. When they return to the cottage where Will lives with his grandmother, Little Blue is revealed to be the girl on the missing piece of a treasured china plate broken "at a picnic long ago," and the details from Little Blue's descriptions adorn the plate in all their glory. Chapman's intricate, dew-dappled flowers recall turn-of-the-century illustration; it's an invitation to indulge in a flight back to another time.

This book shot to near the top of my list of favorite children's books. It's beautiful to look at and the story is very moving. And obviously it appeals both to adults (me) and to 4 2/3rd-year-olds (Elaine.)

2012  No 108

 

Comments

[Nan]

Oh, I've not heard of it, but will try and get it at library. Thank you. Lucky you to read with a little one each week!

[Mary Ronan Drew]

I am lucky, Nan. I never had children and wasn't around them much until Elaine came along 4 2/3 years ago. (She keeps very close track of her age.)

We've been reading together for two years now and it is delightful. When she sees me her eyes light up, she grins, and comes running. I never knew before what it was to be loved like that by a child. Of course part of it is her love of books and not just me . . .

[Christine Harding]

The book is new to me as well, but it sounds delightful - and your reading friendship with Elaine sounds an absolute joy.

[Mary Ronan Drew]

I simply adored this book. Elaine has such good taste in books (i.e., it's pretty much like mine.)