Simon Steps Into the Ring

November 15, 2019
Regulating emotions can feel like a never-ending boxing match. Simon doesn't know what to do; he's lost his temper at school again. Uncle Richard, who moved in with the family when Dad left, says there are lots of different puppets inside of Simon representing different aspects of his personality. There's Simon the Fearful, dreading the consequences of his actions; Simon the Arrogant, who hurls insults at his classmates; Simon the Good Student, who makes comics in art class; and so many more. Like boxers, they compete for dominance. Uncle Richard reminds Simon that all the puppets can be useful, but only at the right time. The key is to listen to the "little referee" inside to make the right decisions. It won't be easy, but Uncle Richard is proud of Simon for continuing to work at regulating his emotions himself. Originally written in French by a former teacher and pedagogical counselor, the book offers backmatter activities that encourage socio-emotional exploration. The text toggles among first person as Simon describes moments from his day, third person, when Simon introduces a particular puppet, and snippets of dialogue. Although the boxing metaphor has a strong start, it fails to follow a consistent pattern. Consequently, the strong beginning and ending bookend a rather meandering middle section. Stylized illustrations depict fair-skinned characters with round, rosy cheeks and black hair. The limited palette of gray, red, black, and white relies heavily on patterns and shadows created with meticulous pencil strokes. Arbona uses perspective and angle to draw focus, often exaggerating the size of one element to emphasize Simon's feelings. A useful tool for instigating socio-emotional discussions with children despite the muddied metaphor. (Picture book. 6-9)

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February 15, 2020
Grades 1-3 After an outburst lands Simon in the principal's office, the boy relates the events that led to this situation. Since his father left, Simon has had trouble controlling his emotions, referring to them and other aspects of his personality as boxers facing off in the ring. On this fateful day, a number of Simons don their gloves. Simon the Confident receives a playground blow from Simon the Frozen, withering under the words of a bully. Simon the Joyous and Simon the Good Student also make valiant appearances, but when Simon the Lazy and Simon the Grumpy join forces during science class, poor decisions are made. Monette, a former teacher and pedagogical counselor, brings her expertise to this book, giving abstract concepts form and substance. The illustrations effectively implement the boxing motif, which, along with the encouraging words from Simon's uncle and appended reader exercises, will help children apply Simon's boxing metaphor to their own feelings and actions. The result is a deliberate but useful tool for children struggling to achieve emotional balance and control.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)