A joyful read

Joy by Yasmeen Ismail, illustrated by Jenni Desmond(Walker Books, 2020)Good to Read for:expressing love to your childengaging your little onea joyful storytime!This week's recommendation is Joy by Yasmeen Ismail, illustrated by Jenni Desmond (Walker Books, 2020). I couldn't resist its cover: a beaming silver tabby kitten leaping after a ball of red yarn!

Those eyes! That smile! Those paws! 

Joy's storyline is simple: an effervescent kitten ricochets around the house, leaping and bouncing through the book's pages until eventually, it lands itself in trouble. Cue Mummy Cat, who comes to the rescue and kisses everything better. 

There's no deep narrative here. Like my own picture book, I Love You to the Moon and Back, this story is designed to celebrate the love between a carer and a child. With rhythmic, bouncy text and adorable illustrations, Joy does it very well indeed. 

The kitten literally launches the reader into the story by boinging and bouncing across the title page after a ball of yarn. Desmond's energetic and joyful illustrations match the tone of Ismail's text beautifully:

 

Oh boy! Oh boy!

My favourite toy.

I feel joy!

 

Ismail's simple text is bright and bouncy, notable for using nonsense words in her rhymes. (For example, the kitten clambers up the clothes dryer with a 'jingle jangle' before crashing down in a heap.)

Nonsense words are fun – especially for kids! I've been listening to a fascinating audiobook – Miracles and Wonders: Conversations with Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell. In it, Simon discusses the song, The Boxer, whose chorus contains the anthemic refrain, lie-la-lie. Simon was using it as a placeholder until he could come up with some lyrics. But he never managed to – and now he's glad: 

 

"It's so fortunate that [I never could think of any lyrics] because when I sing that song anywhere, all around the world, people sing, lie-la-lie, which takes you back to a deep truth… [W]e love to sing nonsensical sounds. That's just a kind of deep human pleasure…."

– Paul Simon (Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon by Malcolm Gladwell) 

Part of that pleasure is being taken back to those nonsense rhymes of childhood (Fee-fi-fo-fum!) and picture books like Joy. (I remember reading similar books (for example, Dr Seuss's Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?) with my own kids.) They become increasingly comforting and familiar by repeatedly sharing the same stories over multiple storytimes.

Back to that kitten, whose antics become progressively more disruptive:

 

BOUNCE BOUNCE BOING BOING DING-A-LING RING RING Let's sing!

 

It joyfully bounces across the room after a ball (in the process, knocking over a vase of flowers and abruptly waking the sleeping dog) – but it doesn't care! 

Run, run, fun, fun – it's all big smiles and big eyes… until it accidentally crashes into a giant dog.

 

UH-OH.

   

The UH-OH adds a moment of drama. But this picture book is aimed at the youngest of readers, and the potential threat is downplayed. The dog may have raised a quizzical eyebrow, but it stands submissively, tail between its legs. Over the page, it's revealed that the dog is a friend, not a foe. With tail wagging, it joins the game, lolloping after the wary kitten who trips (then slips and flips) out through the cat flap.

 

OH NO!

 

(I like how Ismail punctuates her sing-song rhyme with those abrupt words of warning (UH-OH and OH NO!). By breaking the rhythm, they make the reading more enjoyable and create moments of dramatic tension.) 

Seeing the kitten tumble down a set of steps is a moment that's guaranteed to engage your child's empathy muscle (always a good thing). 

 

Oh…

This is bad.

I feel sad.

Where's my mum?

Where's my dad?

 

But thanks to the soft art and gentle writing, it's sensitively handled rather than being a catastrophic (excuse the pun) moment, which is just how little kids like it!. (Some kids will find it gently humorous even.)

The following spread is so tender. Mum cat (or dad? It's not actually specified) is there to lend a helping paw. With a big close up image, and some well-chosen phrases familiar to little kids, Ismail and Desmond create a memorable spread that is tender and relatable.

   

A little hug, a kiss, a squeeze,

Let's check your paws,

And clean your knees.

…

Now look at me, are you all right?

Did you get a little fright?

 

It's reassuring moment, particularly for kids who are used to having a parent or carer close by to kiss things better.

Kittens – and kids – are quick to bounce back. Before you know it, its off again, leaping with a grin between the legs of the dog after its new 'favourite toy'.

 

I feel joy!

 There's more behind Joy's charming simplicity than might at first meet the eye. It's an interactive story, skillfully built around three key elements:

The sing-song language (with its use of nonsense words) is fun for adults to read aloud and kids to listen to.

The dashed line following the kitten's antics is an excellent device to lead the eye through the story. It describes a whole load of action without the need for cumbersome words. Better still, kids will enjoy tracing the movement with their fingers. This immediately adds an element of joy to the reading experience (and helps develop fine motor skills).

The minimal text allows children to 'read' the illustrations for detail and information. Not only does this help capture (and keep) their attention, it also develops both their visual and oral language skills.

Booktrust sums up the appeal of Joy nicely: 'It is a pleasure to read a book which captures a purely happy, upbeat mood'. That alone should be more than enough reasons to share it with your child.

 STORIES WORTH SHARINGJoy by Yasmeen Ismail, illustrated by Jenni Desmond(Walker Books, 2020)Good to Read for:expressing love to your childengaging your little onea joyful storytime!Copyright © 2020 Yasmeen Ismail (Text) & Jenni Desmond (Illustrations)From JOY by Yasmeen Ismail, illustrated by Jenni DesmondReproduced by permission of Walker Books Ltd, London, SE11 5HJ
www.walker.co.ukGOOD TO READFor celebrating the love between parent and child

Hug by Jez Alborough

I Love You to the Moon and Back by Amelia Hepworth & Tim Warnes

I Love You Forever and a Day by Amelia Hepworth & Tim Warnes

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram

I Love You As Big As the World by David van Buren & Tim Warnes

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 "My boys (6&8) and I absolutely loved this book!"– Abigail B, NetGalley 
"Will bring a smile to both parent and child."– Booktrust buy uk * I EARN COMMISSION FROM THESE LINKS #AD/AFFRELATED ARTICLESSOURCESJoy by Yasmeen Ismail, illustrated by Jenni Desmond (Walker Books, 2020) Joy (bookshop.org.uk)
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