Review - Roly Poly

Roly Poly
by Mem Fox
illustrated by Jane Dyer
Date: 2019
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Roly Poly the polar bear gets a little brother he did not ask for, in this charming story about sibling rivalry and the bonds of family from the beloved picture book creators of Time for Bed, Mem Fox and Jane Dyer.

Roly Poly the polar bear loves being an only child. His bed is only his. The fish he catches are only his. And he doesn’t have to share his toy walrus tooth with anyone. But then along comes baby Monty. Roly Poly did not ask for a little brother and he certainly does not want one now! What is Roly Poly to do when Monty starts making him share his bed and fish and walrus tooth?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Roly Poly is a story about sibling rivalry featuring photographs of adorable hand-crafted polar bears.

While I wish the ending had been a little stronger, I think the rest of the book is enough to carry the weight and make this an enjoyable read. The writing is fairly strong, with elements of repetition to reinforce the character development and interactions.

The pictures, however, are one of the best parts of the book. A note at the beginning explains how they were done. There's also a cute meta touch on Roly Poly's nightstand, where you can see a previous book that the author and illustrator worked on together.

This book is a must for people who like stories illustrated with photographs. It's also a sweet story about sibling rivalry. I would definitely recommend it.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.33 out of 5