"Nana calls Moe
a lollygagger.
"He must get it from your
grandfather's side
of the family.
I'm not sure what a lollygagger looks like.
But I checked the old photo albums,
and there aren't any other snails in there.
Maybe aliens brought him."
Oh, my! Siblings, especially little ones, can certainly try another's patience. If you ask for a list, the inclusions will be many: they make messes, they ask too many questions, they get in the way, they want everyone to pay attention to them, they 'hog' the tablet, they take too long in the bathroom, they cry when they aren't hurt, they are soooo slow. Have you heard, or made, these complaints? It is family life with children.
The older sister, who narrates this story about her brother Moe, sees him as a snail. She is quick to fill readers in on all that is the matter with him. He takes his time, and needs encouragement to get to out of bed every morning. He eats his cereal one small piece at a time. He sluggishly crawls from one place to the next ... and he leaves a slime trail behind him. Inside or outside, it doesn't matter where they are. Moe is slooooow!
She is eager to share a surprise concerning Moe.
"You see, my brother's not
always a snail. Where there are
no grown-ups around, Moe
shakes off his shell and turns
into a ...
kid!"
The sneak! Being a sneak is just one more of the annoying things that younger siblings can be.
The details in Marianne Ferrer's illustrations ('watercolor, gouache, lots of sheets of paper and love') add an impressive level of visual appeal for readers who want to read stories about kids like themselves, who live in families where siblings aren't always on the same page. However, the important thing is the love.
No comments:
Post a Comment