By Sue Fliess
My synopsis.
Mary is a scientist who is so busy inventing she forgets to make friends. She decides to create a pet for herself but when it becomes so popular and she creates more, things get out of hand.
Why I picked up this book.
On Twitter I had asked if any other writers had ever dreamt a story idea and if so did it work out writing it. Sue Fliess actually responded and said this story of hers was born from a dream. It’s her best selling book. I had heard of this book but hadn’t read it so it was clearly time.
What was disappointing.
Nothing was disapointing but I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like this story. I was thinking it was going to be a purely motivational story telling young girls that they can be scientists. This was not the case.
Why I kept reading.
The rhyming and the illustrations. They suck you in immediately. The pace and rhyming of the words will have you reading it outloud even if you’re alone. Petros Bouloubasis’s work draws you in and brings every page to life in a fun fantastical way.
The takeaway.
This story didn’t have to be about telling girls they can be scientists because it simply showed it. The story overlaps some of the original Mary Had A Little Lamb wording in a very clever way that even some children may recognize.
Final Thoughts.
This book was a delight and one you’ll enjoy reading multiple times. If this were a book when I was a child I would have adored it for the flow of words and the absolutely engaging illustrations that take you into each page. It was difficult to return to the library and I may have to purchase for my shelf, that’s how much I enjoyed it.
Post script – I want her bike.
INGRID E FABER 