Shadow Play

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       August 8, 2024

 

Author  Kate Forsyth Illustrator: Rosalie Street.

Distributor:      Wombat Books
ISBN:                 9781925563740
Publisher:         Rhiza Publishing
Release Date:   August 2024  

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The dark front cover and pages of Shadow Play alert us to a worrying time. Sure enough, the first page depicts a small girl sitting in a very grey garden and we are told that this is Minnie May, and she is afraid of her shadow and of many other things.  Minnie May knows that her shadow is attached to her and follows her every move. It follows her on the swing, under the bed, in the streets and in the water.

One day Minnie May meets another boy when she sees his shadow. His name is Ziggy, and he shows Minnie May how his shadow follows him when he cartwheels. He teaches Minnie May how to tell the time by shadow and how to makes shapes on the wall with a hand shadow. Gradually Minnie has a sense of belonging to her own shadow.

The Text in Shadow Play is large, brief and easy to read against the dark background. The illustrations add to the text and the reader has to look carefully to see the shapes of the shadow. As Minnie May’s confidence increases so also does the colour in the pages become lighter and more detailed; then we see the girl stretching out to embrace her play, and her new friendship.