Friday 16 January 2015

Picture Books about depression


German and UK Writers and UK Illustrator
Andrew Fusek Peters & Polly Peters, illustrated by Karin Littlewood
The Colour Thief
Wayland 2014   $29.99hb 28pp
ISBN 978 0 7502 8052 5
Themes: Depression/ Family stories/  Fathers and Sons
The small boy who narrates this story has been put in an intolerable position as he watches his father sink into a deep depression and feels it is his entire fault. He describes how his father feels all the colours in the world have gone and he draws a picture of his dad enclosed in an ice-block. Eventually, after months of counselling, Dad returns to his normal happy state and he and his little boy are back to enjoying life together again. Were I buying for a school collection this would not be a book I would put on the open picture book stands or boxes as I feel it needs a wise older person to be on hand to answer the many questions it will generate. However, it would be a wonderfully positive story to share with a child or family who was in the same situation – just the return of the colours at the end is a cause for feeling better.  It would also fit comfortably in the Health Resources at a primary school. It is a book to share and take slowly.
Year 2 up/ Age 6 up (but shared with a dispassionate adult)

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