Little Worlds by Géraldine Collet and lavishly illustrated by Sébastien Chebret shows us how all is possible in the world of one’s imagination. Each spread shows a child totally engaged in a unique physical space. But what makes their individual worlds glorious is the magic of imagination. Whether it’s a physical space—like a tree house decked out with all the trimmings, a spot nestled under a table, or a swing dangling from a moonlit bough—each vignette pictures a child immersed in a world of their own making, a world of wonder and possibility, of dreams and adventures, of roles and ideas.
Some of the illustrations capture typical childhood innocence like digging in the dirt or playing inside a cozy tent. Others capture a more serious tone like a scene where two boys in a war-torn cityscape playing with trucks. Collet’s simple text explores a healthy balance of serious and silly. She definitely conveys the uniqueness of each child’s “little world” with respect. Young readers will study the illustrations for details that enrich the “little world” and bring it to life.
The story allows children to peek into a variety of imaginary “worlds” which accomplished two important things. First, they can have fun visiting worlds which they themselves might not otherwise experience. Second, they can begin to appreciate that even though the imaginary worlds may differ, the fact that all children have dreams is common to all.
Chebret depicts an inclusive cast of characters and locales. One is especially poignant. The accompanying text reads: “They hope to live in peace before they grow up.” Kids are well aware of news stories reporting on wars around the world. This page can open a conversation about their fears of war, or school shootings.
My one criticism is that several of the imaginary worlds tend to follow traditional gender stereotypes, e.g., a girl dreams of being a princess, one boy fancies himself as a knight in shining armor, another girl is featured as the proverbial bookworm, two boys tinker with tools in their grandfather’s garage. Still, the book is a worthwhile read.
AQ Lens: Adoptees typically spend a great deal of time wondering about the “what ifs” of their lives. What if I hadn’t been adopted? What if my birth mother is a famous movie star or princess? This story can help introduce the topic of imagination. Once on the subject parents could easily ask their child what kind of things they wonder about. Ask them if they’d like to share what they imagine about their birth parents. Let the child decide if they are ready to share or not. It’s important that you let children know you are open to this line of conversation but never force it.
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