"Rich and evocative illustrations bring to life this tender story of family separation"
Through breathtaking illustrations, we see a mum and son cosied together in bed reminiscing about family events. The memories evoking scenes of happy family days picnicking, escaping storms and learning to ride a bike. The love between them, and in the memories, almost tangible. Slowly though we recognise that dad is no longer there, and through the illustrations we see him saying goodbye as the twosome drive away. Cut to present day and the pair are in a new home, recording their fresh start as a new memory in its own right.
This is a tender and touching story about family separation, about cherishing beloved memories, but also being allowed to move on and create fresh happy memories after a loss. It would make a wonderful conversation starter for young people of all ages in a similar situation.
Smith’s distinctive illustrative style powerfully brings the story and accompanying emotions to life, leaving no doubt why he is a double Greenaway Medal winning illustrator. Double page spreads pull the reader in whilst smaller vignettes focus on the small, but important intricacies of everyday life. The vignettes, in particular, give a sense of watching a happy family life pass before your eyes, capturing as they do moments of love and laughter, safety. Whilst the use of perspective and close-ups - the focus on a teddy bear clasping hand, a still ear, curled toes on a picnic blanket – evoke a sense of intimacy and togetherness.
The text is perfectly limited, allowing ample space for the warm-toned illustrations to speak. Where it does exist, text colour is cleverly used to indicate speaker without interrupting the readers’ immersion in the story. A powerful book to share and revisit, and a must have for all picture book collections.
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From the Double Kate Greenaway Medal-winning creator of Small in the City and illustrator of Town Is by the Sea, Footpath Flowers, I Talk Like a River and My Baba's Garden comes a moving look at how memories are made.
Tucked up in bed at their new flat, a boy and his mum share memories. Some are idyllic, like a picnic with Dad, but others are more surprising: a fall from a bike into soft piled hay, the smell of an old oil lamp when a rainstorm blew the power out.
Now it’s just the two of them, and the house where all of those memories happened is far away. But maybe someday, this will be a favourite memory, too: happy and sad, an end and a beginning intertwined.
Do You Remember? is another unforgettable book from award-winning author and illustrator Sydney Smith.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Do You Remember? and determined it is suitable for children aged 3-6 years old
Do You Remember? features in the following genres: Featured Books for 5+ readers, Recommendations, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Featured Books for 3+ readers
Do You Remember? is available in Paperback, Hardback
Do You Remember? was written by Sydney Smith and published by Walker Books Ltd
Do You Remember? has 40 pages
£11.69
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