Gabby Wonder Girl by J. Grant

Abstract

Grant, Joyce.  Gabby Wonder Girl, illustrated by Jan Dolby. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2016

Rising again from Joyce Grant’s imagination, Gabby and Roy, “the dynamic duo,” star in this language development picture book.  This time, their creator’s didactic purposes are disguised in the story of Mrs. Oldham’s rescue from an apple tree.  The primary focus of the lesson underlying their adventures is the concept of interrogatives: “who,”  “where,” “how.”  The sounds and shapes of the letters that comprise these words are explored.   Other words germane to the story, “mask,” “pie,” are also decoded.  The final two pages of the work contain follow-up games and activities.

As in Grant’s 2013 work, Gabby Drama Queen, the clear intent is that the young child engaged in the story will be guided by an adult who reads the text and focuses attention on the lesson.  Consider the following example:

When she was safely on the ground, Mrs. Oldham plucked a “P” from the poppies, inserted an “i” that was inside the inuksuk, and ended with an “e” from the elf to make…”pie.”

Obviously, any reader who can cope, quite independently, with the complex structure of this sentence and, as well, the meaning of such words as “inserted” and “inuksuk,”  is unlikely to need help spelling the word “pie.” (In fact, a child who has come this far in his or her reading is likely to be intellectually beyond Gabby Wonder Girl.)  The publisher suggests, very reasonably, that the book would be suitable for five to seven-year-olds.

Jan Dolby’s illustrations support this view.  They are cartoon-like, larger than life, boldly delineated and humorous.  Tracking the highlighted letters and words through the pages of her bright and busy drawings should engross and delight young children.  Long before they are taught to parse a sentence (Is that even done anymore?) they can be introduced to the idea that language has structure.  Such a purpose is commendable; so is the book.   

Highly Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars
Reviewer: Leslie Aitken 

Leslie Aitken’s long experience as a librarian involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and academic libraries.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian for the University of Alberta.