SOMEONE LIKE ME

Written by: Patricia MacLachlan

Illustrated by: Chris Sheban

Published by: Roaring Brook Press July 2017

Ages:   4 – 8 years.

Theme: Thoughts, wonder.

Opening Lines: If you were a little girl who listened to stories over and over and over –

Synopsis: From Amazon: If you were a little girl who listened to stories

over and over and over;

and who read books every night, every day,

even as her mother led her across the street,

You might be me,

a writer.

Why I like this: Oh my!   What is there not to LOVE about this book. Beautifully written by acclaimed writer Patricia MacLachlan it is a semi biographical picture book of around two hundred and fifty nine words. The reader is taken on a journey with the author following herself as a young girl who read constantly, climbed trees, and tried “to teach her dog to talk by moving his lips like hers”―to see what made her the person she became. Like many of her books for children there is a thread of her own life running through them. I love the watercolour; coloured pencil and graphite illustrations by Chris. He uses light and shadow to give each page a warm, earthy glow. The images are soft and dreamlike in their gentleness, as if veiled by a scrim with an invitation to come and look closer. “You might be someone like me – A writer.”   I’ve already asked to have my time with this book extended from the library.

Patricia MacLachlan a Newberry Medial has won many awards for her books. She lives in Massachusetts and is also on the board of the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance.

Resources/Findings:  This is a beautiful enlightening talk from Patricia of how her books evolved and how she came to write.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef1O6v0Wdf8

I can see this book being used in classrooms with teachers asking to list what actually had direct influence towards the girl becoming a writer.

Ask children to write what they would like or hope to become or do after leaving school and list what they can do now to influence/help that decision.

Maybe they could interview a member of their family or family friend who works and ask and list what they did that shaped their career. Was there anything they did as children that may have influenced the outcome.

I’m always pleased to be able to bring you some more special books that have come my way and be able to share them with you and join other great writers over at Susanna’s Blog, where there are literally hundreds of book reviews to view.  So pop over  and visit the lovely author, Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for Perfect Picture Books.    Her blog is full of resources links and activities associated with books reviewed by many authors.