Since teachers and students will be returning to school at the end of this month, Dr. Toughlove thought it would be timely to put a spotlight on a picture book entitled “I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness” by Kerascoët. The name Kerascoët is actually the name used by a married couple, Sḗbastien Cosset and Marie Pommepuy, who are illustrators from France.
What makes “I Walk With Vanessa” so unique is that it is a wordless book. Why do wordless books have appeal? For one thing, the reader can tailor the vocabulary to the developmental age of the child. If the listener is a toddler or preschooler, the reader has the luxury of using language a child of that age will understand. With an older child, the reader can help the listener participate in telling the story by looking at the illustrations and interpreting them. Drawing inferences based on illustrations is a fundamental skill that young readers need to develop. As children become older and are reading text, they can employ the same skill of reading words and interpreting the author’s unspoken message. One of the strengths of this book is that it gives young readers an opportunity to begin to master this critical reading comprehension skill.
“I Walk With Vanessa” tells the story of what happens when a courageous young girl stands up for a new classmate who is being bullied. “I Walk With Vanessa” couples the anxiety of being the new kid at school with strategies children can employ when a classmate is being bullied.
If Dr. Toughlove had to use three words to describe this book she would choose empowering, enchanting and energizing. Every time Dr. Toughlove reads this book she discovers a new twist or subtle illustration that she overlooked the last time. “I Walk With Vanessa” also encourages the development of oral language skills, as children talk about the pictures using their own descriptive words and gestures. It is always a treat to see what the children come up with.
The delightful illustrations are further enhanced by a page at the back of the book that provides tips for children to help them assist someone who is being bullied, as well as useful words for adults when talking about this book. A valuable resource that is beautifully executed.
“I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness” by Kerascoët is recommended for grades Pre-K through 3 and is available at the Queen Anne’s County Library.