“The Gruffalo’s Child” by Julia Donaldson

With illustrations by Alex Scheffler. Oh yes! It’s a great book for every child. Thank you, Julia Donaldson!

In my literary genealogy, Julia Donaldson is Beatrix Potter’s granddaughter and Maurice Sendak’s niece. Her “Gruffalo’s Child” shows that the world is a dangerous place, but also that the muscles and the guns are not the only means of survival. Donaldson shows that even those at the bottom of a food chain can outsmart the stronger ones. It is one great lesson from her tale. Another one is that the most dangerous monsters live in our own heads. Though sometimes these monsters materialize and take over our lives, there are ways to control them, too.

On “Gruffalo” movie.

“The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone” by Timothy Basil Ering

Portland Press Herald wrote about this book: “Frog Belly plants the idea that with some strategy, good communication, and goodwill, you can grow wonderful things.” This book is not about good communication, but about cooperation, and not about strategy, but about patience. But never mind. The book is about goodwill and it’s its charm. The illustrations are great, but I miss a story, which my child would care to remember, without dazzling him or her with yet another (explicitly) stinky monster!