An interesting and heartfelt picture book by the name of
“Sebastian lives in a hat” was my selection for review in this post. The book
was written by Thelma Catterwell and illustrated by Kerry Argent, and follows a
somewhat unfamiliar style of being a factual recount rather than a traditional
narrative, but with a layout and illustrations that follow a narrative style.
The story recalls the daily tasks of caring for Sebastian
the baby wombat in the home of an unidentified young person who narrates the
book in the first person. The book progresses with factual statements about
Sebastian, and discusses where he sleeps, what he eats, his physical abilities
and even his toileting habits. But it is the retelling of how Sebastian was
found and adopted by the family that add an emotional element to the story and
follow a similar form to the complications found within a narrative.
The writing refers to Sebastian’s mother getting hit by a
car and the baby wombat being found frightened and hungry in his mothers pouch.
The illustrations play a dramatic role in this section showing the shadow of an
unidentified adult crouched over the dead wombat, which creates an empathy and
sadness for Sebastian, and a concern for his situation. It is interesting to
note that this dramatic section is placed in the middle of the book, after the
story has established Sebastian being alive and well, which I think was done to
be sensitive the younger audience reading the book.
The description and illustrations of Sebastian’s physical
features are quite detailed and instructive, which gives the book a more informative
tone, but the tale remains a reflection of nursing the animal back to full
health and releasing him back into the wild.
A good read and could be used as a starting point for
numerous literacy activities. Highly recommended.
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