Customer Reviews

Shrinking Violet

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A rare and delightful book about social anxiety disorder in childhood. Best aptly describes Violet's symptoms in an accurate and endearing way and communicates a basic truth of dealing with social anxiety - it gets better when you do the things you are afraid of. Beautifully illustrated and writen in an endearing style, children love the book and learn as they are giggling. As a psychologist, I've used this book in therapy with several children. It is a wonderful vehicle for helping them to understand and overcome their social and performance anxieties.

For as long as Violet could remember, she didn't like to be watched. "I am allergic to attention." Being watched made her cheeks blush rhubarb red and when everyone stared, she itched and scratched and twirled her hair. Class bully, Irwin, made things even worse. He said she had fat knees, hairy arms and smelled liked deadly sewer gas and everyone stared. "I wish I could just shrink away," she thought. When her teacher, Mrs. Maxwell, announces that the class will put on a play about the solar system and everyone will have a part, poor Violet is terrified. But Mrs. Maxwell assures her that Lady Space is a mysterious voice, offstage, that is only heard and never seen. The class practices and works hard and Violet especially likes her part. During the performance, the play begins well, all the planets, stars and comets, asteroids, meteoroids and even the sun know their places and their lines. That is, except Irwin, and that's when Violet steps in and saves the day..... Cari Best and Giselle Potter have really captured the essence of the quiet, shy child and overt class bully in their charming picture book, Shrinking Violet. Ms Best's text is gentle and sympathetic and complemented by Ms Potter's expressive and detailed watercolor artwork and together they've written an empathetic and amusing story with a simple message that won't be lost on young readers. Perfect for kids 4-8, Shrinking Violet is a story told with great insight, humor and wisdom and youngsters will enjoy watching Violet "bloom" again and again, with each reading.

School plays! There is always someone who has the shudders while others flutter in the limelight. Violet, that shyest of all 4th graders, is chosen to be "Lady Space" - - narrator for a production about the planets & other heavenly bodies. Violet's body is given to blushing deeply and shrinking under school desks. Cari Best's clever story will encourage many children with/or/without dramatic tendencies to brave the elements and shine forth.

The author and Giselle Potter, painter of twig-legged children, have created an endearing tale of childhood trauma. It is colorfully constructed to show how a cocoon of shyness might come unraveled while laughing & even learning an elementary lesson in astronomy.

Reviewer mcHAIKU exhorts everyone to encourage dramatic opportunities for every child. "Shrinking Violet" is great fun for sisters, brothers, classmates, parents. Many lessons cloaked in drama can lead us to 'intelligent life' !

I think that this is a very interesting book. It shows how someone very shy and sometimes wants to just disappear gets over their fears. The main character is Violet. Violet always gets bullied around by Irwin who is always insulted her. One day Violet helped him out, to find out what happened read this book. I think that this is a very interesting book. It shows how someone very shy and sometimes wants to just disappear gets over their fears. The main character is Violet. Violet always gets bullied around by Irwin who is always insulted her. One day Violet helped him out, to find out what happened read this book.