I Am Small

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

This illustrated blank-verse poem addresses the state of “being
small” from the point of view of a little girl. She begins: “This is
small talking.” Initially she talks about all the obvious things that
young people have difficulty with, such as reaching light switches and
taps, manipulating objects, and getting dressed. From the obvious and
the concrete, Fitch shifts to the more subtle difficulties children have
when dealing with the world. The narrator contemplates her identity and
wonders who she would be and what she would be like if she had been born
to other parents or lived in another country. She wonders if God exists
and tries to contact him. Although these are big questions for such a
small person, they are not overwhelming, because her place in her world
is secured by her family. Her parents and grandparents provide a
nurturing, loving environment in which she can safely reflect on
important subjects.

This is a beautifully crafted book. The richness of the imagery
reinforces the rhythm and cadence of the blank verse and elevates it to
poetry: her grandfather’s voice is like thistle, and he smells like
the king of a peppermint palace. The interior landscape of a child’s
imagination is given vibrant expression: the narrator sees the days of
the week as colors and objects. She invents languages, and composes
tunes and lyrics. She has an imaginary friend. Children will readily
identify with the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of the little
girl, and adults and children alike will delight in the poetry. Highly
recommended.