Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “The Little Girl and Her Shadow” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why I love Picture Books:
Ever since I was a young child, I’ve adored picture books due to the artistry of the illustrators and the stories the writers weave into the illustrations. Visual story-telling was an active part of my childhood, as I loved books for young readers who had full illustrative plates alongside the narrative and dialogue inasmuch as I have had a fond affection for television and motion pictures. To see a story set in motion by art is akin to watching a story come alive on the stage (live theatre) because the story is hinged to how the person who is internalising the story will see how the images and the words come alive for them inside their imagination. Motion pictures do not leave as much of a window of separation between how you interpret the story and how the story is lit alive for you to see it.
Picture books are a hidden gem in the Children’s Lit branch, and even as an adult, I oft-times borrow quite a heap of picture books from my local library. I try not to keep them out too long, as I know the children in the county will want to see them as well, but many times, I am among the first to check them out even as they are released. My local librarians said that parents are not oft to think to seek them out and by checking them out, I’m helping to alert the parents that something is quite keen about the books themselves and they in turn, might take a chance on them for their own children. This is a trend amongst the young adult, juvenile fiction (Middle Grade) and adult titles I regularly check out as well. I’m not sure why I have to be the first or one of the first (in some cases) but if I can help alert a parent or another reader to the blessing these books are bringing to all of us (young or old), than I do get a bit of joy in knowing I’m helping the greater good.
Picture books of the 2000s have a bit of a leg- up on the picture books of the late 1970s through the 1990s, in that there is a lot more of them releasing per year, verse how you had only a small fraction of what is available today back then. I believe this is in part due to the popularity of illustrated stories and a true love for illustration as an art form as a whole. Whichever reason gave this branch of literature a Renaissance, I’m celebrating it because I find the most thought-provoking stories are not always inside of a novel, they’re contained inside a picture book!
It’s a goal of mine to feature more Children’s Lit on Jorie Loves A Story, and part of that showcase will be picture books, because I want to seek out and highlight the writers who are bringing life lessons and beautiful coming-of age stories to the illustrated stories section of a bookshelf!
The Little Girl and Her Shadow
by O.K. Reade
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Alexa Terry Hanson
Source: Direct from Publisher
In a tiny town, in a quiet place,
Lived a little girl with an angry face...
She hated her school. She hated her friends.
She hated the rules. And in the end,
All she was able to let anyone see,
Was her decision to live miserably.
When a grumpy little girl refuses to change her ways, her shadow decides to run away! Soon the little girl is off on an adventure to win back her shadow, find out why it left, and perhaps learn to appreciate all the things she already has.
Filled with fun illustrations and rhyming text, this is a book kids will love. With an intriguing storyline, it's perfect for the whole family.
Places to find the book:
Published by Sweetwater Books
on 14th April, 2015
Format: Hardcover Edition
Pages: 32
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Hardback, Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #picturebook, #KidsLit