Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Butterflies in My Stomach


Bloch, Serge. 2008. Butterflies in My Stomach. (Published in Canada).

I like this one. Not exactly sure if younger readers will get it. But for older readers (and by older readers I don't mean older older readers) I think this one is a fun and playful examination of the English language. Figurative comparisons--whether you want to call them metaphors or perhaps cliches would be the better word choice--is what Butterflies In My Stomach is all about. Illustrating in a very cohesive (and playful) manner a young boy's first day of school by using figurative cliches on each and every page.

Here is how it begins:
On my first day of school, my mother said I got up on the wrong side of the bed. She asked if we needed to have a heart-to-heart talk so I wouldn't bottle up my feelings. As I left the house, Dad told me to put my best foot forward. On the way to the bus stop, my sister said that on her first day of school, she had butterflies in her stomach. I think I have them, too.
I think that will give you enough of a taste to see if you'd enjoy it.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

1 comment:

Unknown said...

This would be a good book for English language learners. Idioms are an important part of the curriculum. It would work for young and older students.