Will and His World

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian who has recently relocated to
North Wales, Pennsylvania.

Will seems to lead a very ordinary life; he plays with his sister and
his friends, he visits his grandparents, he goes to school and to summer
camp. But Will has a surprising inner life. He contemplates serious
matters of life and death that lead him to worry about the death of his
family, especially of his grandparents. Will gathers “everlasting”
flowers as a means of protecting his loved ones from death. Eventually
Will comes to terms with his fear by deciding that what is most
important is what we do with our lives. He imagines that he or his
classmates could make an important contribution to the world in their
lifetimes.

It is extremely rare to find philosophical subject matter in a
beginning reader chapter book. It is also unusual to find a boy
gathering and drying flowers and expressing deep feelings of love for
his family. Many children think about mortality but are reluctant to
talk about it; Will is a sensitive character with whom they may
identify.

Will and His World is a large-print generously illustrated chapter book
with simple vocabulary and sophisticated concepts. The romantic
illustrations are marvelously suited to the text. Unfortunately, a
little of the poetic nuance of the language is lost in the translation
from the French. Recommended.