Quill and Quire

REVIEWS

« Back to
Book Reviews

Cameron and Me

by Dorothy Joan Harris, Marilyn Mets, illus.

This is a tale of usurpation and intrigue of the domestic variety, narrated in the present tense by the preschool-aged Zachary. His first-person account of how he deals with sibling rivalry is mildly entertaining and might be helpful for toddlers faced with the invasion of a new baby in their lives. But the message of the story, which is that empathy can conquer envy, seems geared more to parents than to their children. Cameron and Me offers a pleasant lesson in family behaviour: an example of sharing for toddlers and a reminder for parents not to neglect the older children when an infant arrives.

No longer the youngest in the family, Zachary has given up that place to baby Cameron, who receives constant kudos for merely existing. He monopolizes mother’s attention and is beginning to lay claim to some of Zachary’s favourite toys. When a baby sister arrives and is fussed over because of her pretty face and frilly pink dresses, Zachary feels that good sense has left the house and that he should follow suit. But the forlorn Cameron, now an older brother himself, brings about a change of heart in Zachary, who decides to stay for a while longer.

Harris, a prolific writer for children, has created a straightforward narrative that is appropriate for an audience aged 3 to 7. The vocabulary won’t present any challenges, there is a variety of sentence lengths, and the tone seems authentic for a disgruntled preschooler. Also, a few recurring motifs bind the narrative in a satisfying way. One of these is Zachary’s wind-up truck, a source of contention between the two brothers that later becomes a symbol of their friendship. The illustrations, which complement the text nicely, are watercolour paintings with subtle ink lines. The play of light and shadow in the faces of the little boys is particularly skillful, although the close-ups of the toddlers’ smiling faces, combined with the message of the book, made me think this book holds a much stronger appeal for parents than for children.

 

Reviewer: Bridget Donald

Publisher: Stoddart

DETAILS

Price: $16.95

Page Count: 32 pp

Format: Cloth

ISBN: 0-7737-3004-4

Released: Mar.

Issue Date: 1997-3

Categories: Picture Books

Age Range: ages 3–7