Easy Peasy
Ky Garvey (author), Amy Calautti (illustrator)
EK Books, $24.99
This bright berry of a book is upbeat and colourful.
While there’s a lesson or two at its heart (one being to listen to your Dad because he might be able to teach you something you’d like to know) it’s also a fun story.
When Ruby gets a gift of roller skates from her Dad, he offers to show her how to master them. But she insists it’s “easy peasy” and master it on her own until she “wibble wobbles” a lot and comes a cropper a few times.
Finally, she accepts her Dad’s offer of instruction and they head off to the roller skating rink where Ruby’s skills improve rapidly and the joy of skating becomes real to her.
Ruby is a jewel of a character and Amy Calautti’s illustrations beautifully convey Ruby’s fear, frustration, stick-ability and enjoyment. Ruby’s roller skates and matching helmet are the stuff of dreams and I would have swapped them in a heartbeat for the dull, unadorned ones I had in my childhood.
The roller skating duck (while never mentioned in the text) is also a lovely touch, its presence gently reassuring.
Author Ky Garvey is a Brisbane-based mother of two children with autism and ADHD. She was initially inspired by her sons to write fun and engaging stories that turn challenges into successes in a way that is supportive, inclusive and empowering.
The idea for Easy Peasy was sparked by one of her children, who as a little boy loved his skateboard so much that he took it to bed with him every night like a teddy bear.
As she began to write, she was also prompted by fond memories of her father taking her to the roller skating rink each Saturday morning – and the warmth of this treasured time together comes through in her writing.
Garvey’s first picture book is for children aged 4 to 8, and I’m sure it will capture hearts and show children the power of persistence and further learning. This makes Easy Peasy a clever and cheerful addition to any child’s library.
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More information from EK books here.
