Thursday, November 02, 2006

Just In Case

Judith Viorst Just In Case; illus. by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. 40pp/Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2006 ISBN 0-689-87164-3 $15.95 (Intermediate)

Just In Case, by Judith Viorst is a fiction story about a little boy learning that he doesn’t need to be prepared all the time. Charlie is a little boy ready for anything. Charlie travels through adventurous happenings where he must be ready for whatever comes his way. Like, Alexander the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Viorst uses emotions to convey her message. Just In Case sends the message, “But maybe not being ready is sometimes okay.” Viorst teams up with Bluthenthal to add mixed media illustrations that produce humor to the emotions Charlie feels. This hilarious explanation of a child’s imagination of responsibility not only lets the reader have fun reading it but leaves an impacting message.

Anonymous BGSU student in S. Osborn's class

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