"The stick insect thought,
If only I were a whirligig beetle.
Then I could swirl across the water.
The whirligig beetle thought,
If only I were a firefly.
Then I'd never be scared of the dark."
It's a familiar refrain. isn't it? If only ...
The book begins with a child's wish to be a butterfly; flying seems such an awesome enterprise. Who knew the butterfly would be thinking about being something different, too? With each turn of the page, children are treated to eye-catching, color-filled collage environments that are home to a long lineup of tiny creatures.
Readers come to understand that each of the creatures has a specific characteristic that sets them apart from the others; each is also envious of that next particullar trait. A firefly would like to be a bee that always has friends to help. A spider would like to be a ladybug that is 'adorable', and not scary to so many.
The repeating text makes this stylish and entertaining book fodder for emerging early readers who are sure to find support here. It celebrates the differences that make each one special, and helps young readers appreciate strengths in others. It is a spirited look at nature in all its glory. Young readers will love that it is a 'circle' book that returns them to the child (and others) they met at the outset. Children can do many things that creatures cannot.
Back matter offers a glossary of the featured creatures, acccompanied by a thumbnail sketch and a sentence or two of description. Following that, there is a step-by-step guide for creating collage art resembling that created for this book by Ms. Van Hout.
If only, what?
After reading this book with young readers and others, it would be a telling exercise to ask that question of both children and adults.
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