Nothando's Journey by Jill Apperson Manly

Schertle’s verse, usually reliable, stumbles more than once stanzas such as “But Valentine’s Day / didn’t seem much fun / when he didn’t get cards / from anyone” will cause hitches during read-alouds. In this, Blue’s seventh outing, it’s not just the sturdy protagonist that seems to be wilting. Blue is therefore surprised (but readers may not be) when he pulls into his garage to be greeted by all his friends with a shiny blue valentine just for him.

But as Blue heads home, his deliveries complete, his headlight eyes are sad and his front bumper droops ever so slightly. With each delivery there is an exchange of Beeps from Blue and the appropriate animal sounds from his friends, Blue’s Beeps always set in blue and the animal’s vocalization in a color that matches the card it receives. His bed overflowing with cards, Blue sets out to deliver a yellow card with purple polka dots and a shiny purple heart to Hen, one with a shiny fuchsia heart to Pig, a big, shiny, red heart-shaped card to Horse, and so on. Little Blue Truck feels, well, blue when he delivers valentine after valentine but receives nary a one. Three meditation exercises, tied to the narrative, are provided in the endpapers.įor readers seeking ways to express themselves or calm their emotions, this introduction to meditation through one child’s experience delivers a solid starting point. The author’s earth-toned illustrations, a mix of pen and paint, offer both realistic depictions of the animals and setting and a successful metaphoric expression of Ahmed’s inner life. Yet the importance of deep breathing and looking for positive emotions within any turbulence comes through clearly, and the subdued tone of the text skillfully encourages readers to meditate. But because Ahmed’s meditation is tranquil, this work lacks some of the vibrant movement of the previous volume. Similar to the protagonist of Manly’s ( Nothando’s Journey, 2016) earlier picture book, Ahmed explores his inner life through observing the animals around him.

In the distance, he sees a sandstorm, and he realizes that, like the chaos of the tempest, his emotions are causing turmoil in his body. In the quiet, he notices a golden spiny mouse and a Saker falcon. He leaves his tent to spend time with his camel, Jamal. Unlike his relatives, who are excited, Ahmed is afraid of his first race. Members of Ahmed’s family, who appear to be Bedouins, have traveled across the desert to race their camels in an important gathering. A boy in Saudi Arabia sees a storm as a parallel to his own fears and becomes inspired by animals to find inner peace in this story from a yoga therapist.

Nothando's Journey by Jill Apperson Manly