A Small Song

PreS-Gr 2—In a small shed, in a quiet part of Wales, live a band of forest creatures ruled by a weasel, King Norty. Through their stories, Celestine encourages children to be kind, think out their problems, and be creative. This fifth series installment focuses on a tiny animal named Small who has forgotten his past, and his encounter with a traveling musician. Happily, the music awakens a memory in him, which prompts King Norty to create an instrument for his subject; artsy children will be delighted to find that simple instructions for making a banjo are included at the end of the story. This title is charming in the way that Beatrix Potter books are. The quality of the writing is not at the level of these classics, but the straightforward statements and dialogue will endear the creatures to readers nonetheless. The images, however, are standouts. Celestine handcrafts each creature out of wool and then photographs them in their homes and in the forest.