Laura Dockrill (text) and Lauren Child (illustrator), Grey, Walker Books, 40 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781406389562
Sometimes, for no reason at all, we wake up feeling grey. The character in this story is experiencing a grey day; they state ‘I am grey today. I just am. I am grey.’ Grey is an important reminder that we have many emotions inside us, and not all of them are positive. Although aimed at readers between 3-7, the message in this story carries meaning for many older students also; While media often suggests that we should always be happy, engaging in exciting activities, and acquiring new, shiny things, it’s important to acknowledge that sometimes we simply aren’t in the mood or we have bad days—and that’s perfectly okay.
In the hands of Laura Dockrill and former Waterstones’ Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, what could have been a heavy tale becomes a story we can all relate to, and although the main character does not feel icing sugar pink or big hug red, or even lullaby blue, their mother reminds them that those bright feelings are all still there; and they will be loved no matter what colour they are feeling.
Child’s familiar illustration style is complemented by the loosely rhyming text and the creative die-cut pages give readers windows into the world where grey stormy clouds are a natural part of the weather of our lives. A great book to have on hand to read before bed after a hard day, with the optimistic ending suggesting that a bright new day is on the horizon. One for home and school library collections.
Reviewed by Kay Oddone
