FICTION

Stewart the Goodheart

by Judith Henderson (text) & illus. by Binny Talib
Reycraft. Apr. 2024. 40p. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781478880363.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2–Stewart, with red hair and light brown skin, wants to be a hero and help others; his “doctor,” a small girl with burnished amber hair and slightly darker skin, who carries a handbag with a medical cross on it, names him Stewart the Goodheart. In very few words, which continuously express Stewart’s noble deeds, the story unfolds; but even more happens in the colorful illustrations, full of flowing vibrant shapes, where readers can constantly measure the distance between what’s happening and how it’s described. For example, when a child is bullied and has hurt feelings, Stewart ushers the girl to the doctor, who prescribes hot cocoa for the wounded and cotton balls for the others’ ears so they won’t be able to hear the bully.
VERDICT While not the most realistic depiction of childhood overall, this book has a sweet message and an idiosyncratic storytelling style that will please listeners at story hour.
Reviewed by Kerri L. Williams , May 01, 2024

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