When Addie Was Scared

Sylvia Pantaleo is an assistant professor of education specializing in
children’s literature at Queen’s University and the co-author of
Learning with Literature in the Canadian Elementary Classroom.

Addie lives on a northern prairie farm in the 1930s. She is frightened
of many things, including the big turkey gobbler in the yard, wolves in
the woods, bulls, and thunderstorms. Sometimes Addie is scared of things
that do not exist.

One afternoon at Babcha’s house, while Addie is hanging laundry on
the line and the chickens are pecking in the yard, a chicken hawk
descends from the sky. Something happens to Addie as the chicken hawk
swoops about the chickens; Addie finds her courage and with a wild and
fierce scream she picks up a branch and flails it at the predator.
Babcha joins Addie, and together they thwart the chicken hawk’s
intentions. Babcha commends Addie for her bravery. The incident does not
end Addie’s fears, but she does find a place inside herself where she
is “as strong as any bull and as fierce as any hawk,” and Addie
knows that when she needs it, the place is there.

When Addie Was Scared is based on a story told to Bailey by her mother.
Addie’s story demonstrates the inner strength that people often find
when faced with adverse and dangerous situations that involve the
well-being of others. The hues in the framed watercolor illustrations
effectively reflect the historical setting of the story. Addie’s
feelings of fear are accentuated by the facial expressions, body
language, and actions depicted in the illustrations. Recommended.