From Publishers Weekly
How does a person find courage to face her biggest fear? Jackson (Willy's Silly Grandma) explores this existential question with humor and sympathy, using her sophisticated collage art to create drama through a pastiche of characters and landscapes. The simple plot centers on an old woman whose house sits precariously under an enormous wave. The woman's crankiness hides her all-consuming fear of the wave and the life-threatening disaster she believes will happen at any second. Branding the wave "wasteful," "careless" and "clumsy," she pretends to ignore it until her more adventurous dog plunges into the metaphoric source of life. This is a "once upon a time" story in the true sense, in which fear of the unknown is never outgrown, but is, rather, faced and overcome. Jackson's artistry in telling the old woman's story works, as folktales do, to create an otherworldly landscape and the perspective needed to face life's "waves" fearlessly. By illustrating the tale with gloriously detailed word pictures (many contain phrases that are potential clues to the woman's liberation) Jackson may also inspire readers of all ages to take an artistic approach to problem solving. Even though the deeper meaning may be lost on young readers, there is plenty of drama and whimsy to keep the entertainment level high. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?If Catherine Cowan's My Life with the Wave (Lothrop, 1997) whetted children's fancy, suggest this delightful story about another human interacting with a wave. An old woman has lived her whole life under a wave that hovers over her house. She is prepared with a boat in case it ever falls, but the daily drips and drops are a part of her routines. The wave loves the old woman, even though she has never noticed its beauty. When a young woman wanders along looking for work, the old woman sends her to the roof to patch the umbrellas that help keep it dry. As the stranger leaves, she observes that the swell "...could take someone a long way, if someone wanted to go." When her dog, Bones, prances into the wave and won't come back, the old woman takes her boat to fetch him, but the view from the crest gives her a new perspective on her world and beyond. Adults will love the underlying message and kids will love the frolicking, quirky story. Stylized collage illustrations incorporate map scraps and segments of type that play against the curl of the blue-green wave that undulates through the page design. The combination of whimsical illustrations and buoyant story make a refreshing splash.?Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
