Children’s Book Review: Read Me a Story, Stella
Read Me a Story, Stella
by Marie-Louise Gay
Governor General’s award-winning author and illustrator Marie-Louise Gay’s “Stella and Sam” series stars an irrepressible redheaded big sister and her inquisitive brother. In Read Me a Story, Stella, the dynamic duo build a makeshift doghouse, fly a kite, and gaze imaginatively at clouds. Pulling along a little red wagon full of books, Stella’s infectious love of reading informs all of their adventures. In the garden, she even recites a poem to rabbits waiting for carrots to grow. At the end of the day, the siblings snuggle in bed and Stella makes up a story starring Sam and his dog Fred.
Stella finds many creative reading nooks, and Marie-Louise Gay’s pencil, pastel and watercolour illustrations show her enjoying a book while tucked inside a wheelbarrow, hanging upside down from a tree limb and dipping her toes in the pond.
As in the other books in the series, the characters’ dialogue is charmingly quirky and the back and forth banter between the siblings is effortless. Sam has a myriad of burning questions and ever patient Stella answers them with aplomb and ingenuity. When Sam asks how caterpillars become butterflies, Stella explains, “They go to sleep for a long, long time and dream about flying.” The leisurely pace of the story is reminiscent of a childhood summer day with lots of time to wonder and explore.
Read Me a Story, Stella is a whimsical, joyful tribute to sibling love and storytelling.
Linda Ludke is a librarian at London Public Library. Her reviews have appeared in Quill and Quire, School Library Journal and CM: Canadian Review of Materials. When she’s not reading and writing she also loves searching for vintage treasures.
Linda Ludke is a librarian at London Public Library. Her reviews have appeared in Quill and Quire, School Library Journal and CM: Canadian Review of Materials. When she’s not reading and writing she also loves searching for vintage treasures.
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