Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: Shadow

  • Shadow Play

    Shadow Play

    The dark front cover and pages of Shadow Play alert us to a worrying time. Sure enough, the first page depicts a small girl sitting in a very grey garden and we are told that this is Minnie May, and she is afraid of her shadow and of many other things.  Minnie May knows that her shadow is attached to her and follows her every move. It follows her on the swing, under the bed, in the streets and in the water.

    One day Minnie May meets another boy when she sees his shadow. His name is Ziggy, and he shows Minnie May how his shadow follows him when he cartwheels. He teaches Minnie May how to tell the time by shadow and how to makes shapes on the wall with a hand shadow. Gradually Minnie has a sense of belonging to her own shadow.

    The Text in Shadow Play is large, brief and easy to read against the dark background. The illustrations add to the text and the reader has to look carefully to see the shapes of the shadow. As Minnie May’s confidence increases so also does the colour in the pages become lighter and more detailed; then we see the girl stretching out to embrace her play, and her new friendship.

  • Shadow

    Shadow

    Dark and somewhat mesmeric, Shadow from Lucy Christopher & Anastasia Suvorov is an intriguing and evocative story for children, which takes a very positive look at darkness, whether it be the fear of night, of change or anxiety, all emotions felt and discovered on life’s journey by young and old.

    Narrated by a little girl, she tells of meeting Shadow under her bed in their new, old house. While her mother tells her there is nothing there and nothing to be worried about, somehow Shadow is still there, lurking in the darkness in the cobwebs and dust.

    One night, she goes under the bed to join Shadow and another day Shadow comes out to play; he is King and she is Queen. One day, Shadow entices her outside and into the woods filled with the chill of winter snow; she becomes lost as Shadow disappears into the woods, blending in with all the other shadows.

    After a very long time, she hears a voice calling; calling her name and realised it was Ma looking for her.

    Sensitively written the storyline invokes much material for discussion with children who are finding change difficult to manage. Shadow also contains a firm reminder to parents that no matter how busy they may be, it is very necessary to take time out to discuss children’s fears, then explain them to help children develop the skills to both understand and manage change.

    The illustrations capture the words perfectly, evoking a wonderful sense of the emotion involved, particularly when the little girl is lost in the woods, when Shadow has gone and left her. The joy when Ma comes looking for her, her massive relief when Ma takes the time to explain change and what it means, is palpable.

    Shadow is a somewhat interesting character but perfectly created as a metaphor of which children, as well as adults, are easily able to relate. Tactful and beautifully created.