Revenge of the Small Small

Joan Sanderson is a professional storyteller doing “Book Talks” for
Minnow Books.

Patsy, the youngest child in the Small family, gets the chicken pox
after her three older siblings have recovered. Her sister and brothers
are too busy to entertain her, and too selfish to lend her things to
amuse her. Instead, Patsy receives a surprise gift from her father,
which she uses to make another surprise. At first her siblings make fun
of her, but the tables are turned when they find their names engraved on
tombstones in Patsy’s homemade village.

The making of the village, the realistic dialogue, and the surname
“Small” all contribute to the feelings of being left out that are so
effectively expressed in this book. Yet it ends on a positive note:
Patsy gets her revenge, but everybody wins. What more could a reader
ask?

Matching the text in vibrancy are the illustrations—colorful, simple,
yet filled with grand detail.

This is a perfect read-aloud book for younger children, and a perfect
read-to-yourself story for older ones.