Characters with character: SELF-DISCIPLINE

Review:

Harriet, you'll drive me wild!

by Mem Fox

Illustrated by Marla Frazee

Harriet is really trying not to misbehave, and her mom is really trying not to get mad at her. But sometimes both things happen. It's touching to see how both of them are trying hard. Mom doesn't like to yell. Harriet says she is sorry, and she means it. The best part is that they both can be forgiving, with themselves and with the other, and then try again.
It's a strong point in this story that both, mom and Harriet, have to effort to control themselves, this way parents and kids can relate with the characters. The repetition of the phrase "just like that" helps to see how natural this situation is.

The illustrations are beautiful, and they really add details to the text of the story being told. That's something so important in a picture book, that always involves a reader and a pre-reader who follows the story with the help of the images.
Frazee is a very talented illustrator. The illustration that accompanies the "There was a terrible silence" page is SO good! It shows this second of silence before the big explosion with such a vivid tension!

Age Range 3 to 6 years old.


*This review is part of my project Characters with character.