Willow's Whispers

by Lana Button, Tania Howells (Illustrator)

Overview

When Willow speaks, her words slip out as soft and shy as a secret. At school, her barely audible whisper causes her no end of troubles. But Willow is as resourceful as she is quiet, and she fashions a magic microphone from items she finds in the recycling bin. But Willow's clever invention is only a temporary solution. How will this quiet little girl make herself heard?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554537440
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	03/01/2014
Series:	Willow Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,071,353
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Lana Button works in early childhood education. She is the author of Willow's Whispers, Willow Finds a Way, Willow's Smile and My Teacher's Not Here! Lana studied theater performance at Concordia University in Montreal, and now lives in Burlington, Ontario, with her husband and three daughters.

Tania Howells's illustrations have appeared in Chirp and Today's Parent, among other publications. She is the illustrator of Berkeley's Barn Owl Dance and Willow's Whispers. Tania lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

A victory for any reader who struggles to be heard, even metaphorically.—Kirkus Reviews

Limited text and simple sentences, combined with a strong character who solves her own problems, make this a successful selection.—School Library Journal

Shy, quiet kids will take heart at Willow's small victories.—Quill & Quire

There is nothing cloying about the sweetness of this book. The playful use of font sizes, the simply drawn, brightly colored figures and, most of all, the perfect pitch of its text, see to that.—The Globe and Mail

From the Publisher

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. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

What first seems to be a narrow lesson becomes cheerful inspiration, even for readers who don't share this specific quandary. "[W]hen Willow spoke, her words slipped out as soft and shy as a secret," causing lonely frustration at school. Nobody hears Willow's acceptance of a group invitation to eat lunch, so she eats alone; the teacher mishears Willow's juice preference and pours orange, which makes Willow's lip crinkle; a bully grabs Willow's toy because whispers can't stop a bully. At home, mellow dad has faith-"one day your voice will wiggle its way out"-but Willow's own steam produces the solution: a glitter-covered cardboard tube. This "magic microphone" amplifies her voice, solving everything, until a drop to the floor makes it (implausibly) "crumpled"; but by then, her loudness has had enough experience to emerge talisman-free. Font sizes change to convey volume. Smiley Photoshop kids with black-dot eyes, though stiff-armed and visually unsophisticated, have enough facial energy to carry the plot's emotions. A victory for any reader who struggles to be heard, even metaphorically. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews

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

School Library Journal