Hannah's Collections

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

Many children are collectors, prone to saving things their parents
consider junk. Indeed, most of us suffer from the impulse. Hannah finds
treasure everywhere. Her room looks like a museum. Her teacher’s
request that each child bring in a collection to share with the class
poses a problem. How can she choose just one? She loves them all.

Her 153 buttons are in cupcake tins, sorted by shape, size, or color.
Her Popsicle sticks make beautiful patterns. Her 43 seashells, 19
feathers, and 10 leaves are all beautiful. So is her jewelry collection
of five rings.

Hannah’s brilliant solution is to create “a sculpture collection”
that includes something from every category: “She used ten coins from
Uncle Matthew’s travels, nine special erasers, eight keys that
didn’t lock things anymore, seven stamps from faraway places, six
pieces of striped candy, five clothespins that she kept in a polka-dot
bag, four fake ladybugs, three miniature books, and two weird
wallets.” It took her all weekend to assemble.

Hannah’s Collections, which was nominated for a 2000 Governor
General’s Literary Award, will touch a chord in many young readers and
more than a few adults. Marthe Jocelyn’s sense of fun is in fine form,
as are her colorful and detailed illustrations. Highly recommended.