Review - Small Things

Small Things
by Mel Tregonning
Date: 2016
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: hardcover
Source: library

On the cusp of having everything slip from his grasp, a young boy has to find a way to rebuild his sense of self. An ordinary boy in an ordinary world. With no words, only illustrations, Small Things tells the story of a boy who feels alone with worries but who learns that help is always close by. An extraordinary story, told simply and with breath taking beauty.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a difficult book to review. On the one hand, I can appreciate all the work that went into it. (The book was published posthumously, after the illustrations were completed by Shaun Tan.) On the other hand, I don't think it will be appropriate for all children. I found it on display in the children's section of the library and, drawn in by the cover illustration, I picked it up. As I "read", though, I found myself growing more and more uneasy. I can appreciate such a story and message as an adult. As a young child, though, I think I would've been scared out of my mind.

The boy in the story is having a rough time. He's left out at school, his grades are slipping, and he's clashing with his sister. Dark little creatures (they look like little demons to me) start eating away at him, eventually taking actual chunks out of his body. It gets worse and worse until he looks like he's been chewed at by some monster from a horror movie. Now, I understand that this isn't supposed to be literal, but this is a children's book after all; not everyone in that audience is going to get that.

There's somewhat of a resolution when the boy realizes that everyone has these demons eating away at them. But that just made it even worse. What is a child to think when they see that? At first, they can write it off by thinking it's just that boy who has this infestation of demons. But, wait... Now everybody has them? Aaaaah!

The artwork is all done in black and white, which further pushes it away from suitability for young children. I was also kind of confused at one point because of the sister being drawn with two different hairstyles; it took a while for me to figure out she was the same person.

If this had been aimed at middle graders or even young adults, I might have felt more favourable toward it. But because it's marketed as a children's book, I can't help but feel that it's somewhat inappropriate for the age group, and that affected my view of the book. The illustrations are skillful, but they're also really creepy... especially if you're a kid who's already beset by anxiety. The last thing you need is to think there are actual monsters ready to take chunks out of your body!

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.8 out of 5