Willow's Whispers

January 25, 2010
Willow speaks so softly that everyone either ignores her (the class mean girl), patronizes her (her teacher), or thinks she’s aloof (“She must like sitting alone,” says a schoolmate who can’t hear Willow accept his invitation to join him at the lunch table). But with a nudge from an understanding father (“Your big, strong voice got stuck way inside you.... But one day your voice will wiggle its way out”), Willow creates a “magic microphone” from a cardboard tube and gains the confidence to speak up. Seinfeld
got a lot of memorable narrative mileage out of a character who was a “soft talker,” but such is not the case with this story from debuting author Button and Howells (Berkeley’s Barn Owl Dance
). In their diligence to make sure every spread stays on message, the team lets the story sag into didacticism. Howells’s digital, minimalist line drawings feel more instructional than emotional, and the book comes off feeling like a pamphlet proffered by a well-meaning adult. Ages 3–7.

May 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 1-Willow speaks in whispers so low that no one can hear her. She wants to speak louder, but she just can't, so everyone ignores her. Her father tells her that a big voice is stuck inside her, and will one day come out. Then she gets an idea. She makes a magic megaphone from recycled items and presses it to her lips; her voice comes out loud and strong. All day her classmates and teacher hear her and include her in their activities. But at the end of the day, she drops the megaphone and it breaks. Wanting to be heard, she speaks out in her own strong voice. Everyone cheers. Simple cartoon illustrations capture the child's emotions as she struggles to be heard. Crisp lines with added color on a white background provide an overall sense of unity and balance to the story. Limited text and simple sentences, combined with a strong character who solves her own problems, make this a successful selection."Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA"

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