Binky Bemelman and the Big City Begonia

William Blackburn is a professor of English at the University of
Calgary.

“Binky Bemelman lives in the city in a building as high as the
clouds” and his life is—guess what—BORING! A turtle, a stereo, and
a bicycle each fail in turn to distract this resourceless child until
his parents—no doubt a little distracted themselves—give him a large
begonia. All is apparently well until Binky’s cat knocks the begonia
off the window ledge. It falls—unnoticed!—onto the head of a
delivery man, and Binky sets off in pursuit. Begonia and brat are
finally reunited by Binky’s parents, but only after the more likable
of the two has won first prize at a flower show.

As a picture book, this is quite a pleasing effort; it is a pity that
the author’s skills as a storyteller are so markedly inferior to her
skills as a graphic artist. Silly stories are no less silly by virtue of
being aimed at young children. Better balance would have made this a
better book.