Just in Case
by
Judith Viorst & Diana Cain Bluthenthal
Order:
USA
Can
Atheneum, 2006 (2006)
Hardcover
Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch
C
harlie is always ultra-prepared for any situation. He digs a pit in case a lion gets loose from the zoo; dresses in rain gear in case it rains inside the house; and takes along oars and a net to the beach in the event he captures a mermaid. He even has an elaborate scheme to get rid of a babysitter, in case the babysitter turns out to be horrible.
T
he overly-cautious Charlie has become an expert in creating imaginative, impossible scenarios, either because of a child's sense of wonder, or a child's creative imagination. In the end, he is completely taken aback by a birthday party surprise, one of the first events in his life in which he is utterly unprepared. He learns, of course, that life cannot always be mapped out, and once in a while, the unexpected can be quite fun.
J
udith Viorst proves time and time again that she really understands children and their way of thinking, while Bluthenthal's cartoon-like illustrations lend comedic appeal to this well-done children's book.
Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.
Find more Kids books on our
Shelves
or in our book
Reviews