Counting Two

Elizabeth St. Jacques is the author of Echoes All Strung Out and
Survivors: The Great Depression, 1929-1939.

The first story in this book, “I Don’t Wanna!,” concerns
Lulubelle, a beautiful young spirit-sprite who is stubborn about
learning new things until she meets a lonely human girl with a special
vision that Lulubelle doesn’t have. Lulubelle’s snippy but humorous
personality comes through vividly in this beautifully told story.
Children may see a little of themselves in Lulubelle and learn an
important lesson.

“Rowena and the Way to Count Two and Two” is less successful. On an
isolated Saskatchewan ranch, 7-year-old Rowena wants to attend school.
Because it means living away from home, her father refuses. With the
help of Rowena’s only friend, an imaginary knight named Sir Percivale
who sometimes speaks through Rowena, the father has a change of heart.
Unfortunately, there are problems with this story. Rowena’s mother
lies to her husband. Rowena corrects her mother once, but, realizing
that the truth will prevent her from going to school, she becomes
silent. Sir Percivale comes to the rescue by twice uttering , through
Rowena, a lie intended to change the father’s mind, whereupon
“Rowena’s mother smiled.” Isn’t this encouraging children to
blame someone else for falsehoods that come out of their own mouths?
Isn’t this approving deception and conspiracy?

While Gertrude Story knows how to weave a charming story, mesmerizing
her young audience with repetition, colors, sounds, and scents, and
while Andi Arbuckle’s black-and-white drawings add a gentle touch, the
second story could have been more carefully thought out. Not a
first-choice purchase.