Today Let's Read: Barbara Throws A Wobbler by Nadia Shireen
Humor, Emotions, Expressive Characters
I treat myself to sitting down with a good book every day at lunchtime. It’s part market research, but mostly pure fun. I’ll be sharing some of my “picture book friends” with you every Monday and talking about why I think they’re successful.
Since I’ve changed the title of this substack to reference my standard introduction line of, “Hello, I’m Jen Gubicza, rhymes with pizza.” I’ll also be talking about these books in a pizza-like way. So, The Crust is the story and writing, The Sauce is the hook of the book, and The Toppings are the illustrations. I apologize in advance if you now also want to order a pizza after you read this substack.
Today Let's Read: Barbara Throws A Wobbler by Nadia Shireen
The Crust: Story & Writing
This book has fantastic pacing. We are introduced to Barbara (and her wobbler) right on the cover, but the first lines of the story tell us everything we need to know. “Barbara was in a very bad mood. ‘I am NOT!’ she said. (But she was.)” We get to hear Barbara’s voice right away, and the fact that she’s actively arguing with the narrator, reveals who she is, how she’s feeling, and how this book might play out.
The Sauce: The Hook of the Book
Right on the cover, you can tell that this book is going to be funny and be about dealing with a bad mood. The colors are also really attention grabbing. I think this book may have jumped straight off the shelf and into my arms. And, sure enough, in the copy on the back of the book it is described as a “laugh-out-loud, bad-mood-banishing story” That’s the hook that is selling the book, and it delivers throughout.
The Toppings: The Illustrations
Gosh, these characters are fun. Nadia Shireen really knows how to show emotion and pace a book over each spread. There’s a great mix of colorful characters in full spreads and in smaller vignettes. The page turns come at just the right times to make you want to see what’s happening next, and beautiful textures make Barbara’s wobbler feel otherworldly and also familiar at the same time. Super charming, and very funny.
Do you have a favorite picture book about bad moods? Let me know in the comments!