What's Up, Maloo?

Written and illustrated by Geneviève Godbout

Tundra Books

978-0-7352-6664-3

40 pp.

Ages 3-7

January 2020

Tackling issues of mental health in picture books requires a special touch. You can be neither silly about it nor aggressive while still getting the message out that there is help. Geneviève Godbout's text and art, always thoughtful and serene in soft pastels and coloured pencils, meets the challenge with style and compassion.

From What's Up, Maloo? by Geneviève Godhout

When kangaroo Maloo is happy and hopping, she is on top of the world. Life is a bed of roses, pink ones in fact. But when she's not, the hop goes out of her and a grey cloud envelopes her thinking. She walks to her friends who all ask, "What's up, Maloo?" and all she knows is that she's not hopping. There's the baking wombat, the swimming crocodile, and the koala, all who want to help. They attempt to lull her into play with balls in the water, and levitate her with the air from fans but the black cloud around Maloo does not dissipate and she isn't hopping.

From What's Up, Maloo? by Geneviève Godhout

The friends continue on their walking journey until they find a sail-like sheeting which they spread out and upon which Maloo bounces, hoping for her hop to come back. A bit of fun, a lot of friendship and a little time and Maloo is hopping again, now with her friends in tow!

From What's Up, Maloo? by Geneviève Godhout

Geneviève Godbout's illustrations are so serene and thoughtful, emphasizing a tenderness to Maloo's plight and the compassion of her friends. But still Geneviève Godbout's story stays inspirited, playing with graphic idioms such as Maloo's lack of a spring, or hop, in her step, the black cloud around her as an analogy for depression, and the bed of roses that make up her landscape when she is happy. Geneviève Godbout's What's Up, Maloo? makes me hopeful that, with a little help from friends who are supportive without being controlling or taking charge of her feelings, Maloo can get her hop back whenever the dark cloud descends again.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It seems highly appropriate that I review What's Up, Maloo? on January 29th which is Bell's Let's Talk Day.  This is the day when media corporation Bell Canada contributes 5¢ to mental health initiatives in Canada for every applicable text, call, tweet, or social media video view in support of Bell Let's Talk.  So let's talk about What's Up, Maloo? to get our own conversation going about using Canadian picture books to support mental health. You'll find me on social media doing just this and I hope you'll do the same.

Mary Poppins

Based on the novel by P. L. Travers

Adapted by Amy Novesky

Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

978-1-328-91677-8

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

October 2018

With the upcoming release of the movie Mary Poppins Returns, there will be much renewed interest in P. L. Travers's character who was introduced in her 1934 novel, Mary Poppins. Fortunately, a new picture book adaptation with a Canadian illustrator, Geneviève Godbout, will be a perfect introduction for young children to this magical nanny and her story.

From Mary Poppins illustrated by Geneviève Godbout

American Amy Novesky's adaptation of the original story is lovely yet condensed, as is necessary when taking a detailed work such as a novel and filtering it down to the text of a picture book. Still Amy Novesky ensures that the important details of the house at Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, the East Wind bringing a hat-clad woman with parrot-headed umbrella and magically voluminous carpetbag, and the household of the Banks children–Jane, Michael and the twins–and their parents remain, as do key events and dialogue. There's Mary Poppins sliding up the banister; the floating Uncle Albert; Mrs. Corry and daughters Annie and Fannie adorning the night sky with stars; and a nighttime visit to the zoo, as well as Mary's familiar declarations of "Spit-spot to bed" and "I'll stay till the wind changes."

From Mary Poppins illustrated by Geneviève Godbout

But it's Geneviève Godbout's artwork that breathes life into Mary Poppins. The lovely young woman exudes grace and control, though always tempered with affection, charm and fairness. Geneviève Godbout makes Mary both attracting and disciplined, the perfect combination for caregiver, whether parent or nanny. From her easy topknot to her billowing black skirt and plain hose and shoes, she is the picture of efficiency. But her face, with rosy cheeks and bright eyes and delicate nose, Mary Poppins is beautiful and proper. Geneviève Godbout even gets her posture correct: strong but not overpowering, competent, and determined. It's such a shame that we all had to save "Au revoir!"

"Strike me pink," as Mary Poppins might say when pleased, because this new illustrated adaptation of her story flies above the rest and will charm all children, adults and animals and adorn the world with starry wonder.

From Mary Poppins illustrated by Geneviève Godbout