Blog Entry #6

Wemberly Worried

Written and Illustrated by Kevin Henkes

Greenwillow Books, 2000

30 pages

Fiction

            I chose Wemberly Worried, because I know two teachers that have this book. So, when I came across it in the library, I thought I would blog about it. This is an adorable book about a little mouse that worries about anything and everything. Her mom, dad, and grandmother tell her not to worry, but she does anyway. Wemberly worried about starting school, and she worried about that more than anything else. In the end, she made a friend, and school was not so bad after all.

The media used in Wemberly Worried is drawing with black pen and watercolor painting. Every page has some white negative space in the background to emphasize what Wemberly was worrying about. Many of the colors used are pastel pink, purple, green, and blue. Wemberly is a little girl mouse, and I believe the illustrations reflect that. The colors used in this book would appeal to a little girl. The illustrations really do a great job with body language and facial expressions to show her worry.

            This book would be appropriate for early elementary grades. I think it would be great for a kindergarten read aloud to discuss how the students felt on the first day of school. The teacher could start by asking the students what their feelings were before the first day and how they feel now. That would be a great opportunity for a compare and contrast with the kindergarten students. This book has received the ALA Notable Children’s Book Award, the IRA/CBC Children's Choice Award, and the IRA/CBC Teachers' Choice Award.