Sophie Trophy Too

Written by Eileen Holland

Illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

Crwth Press

978-1-7753515-7-3

96 pp.

Ages 6-9

March 2020

Sophie Trophy, the third grader from Eileen Holland's first early reader in the series (Sophie Trophy, 2019), returns with a story about learning to manoeuvre through school and social situations that regularly put her at odds with other students and even her principal.

When a new student, Hailey, joins their class, Sophie is intrigued, especially as Hailey seems not to be scared or shy. Sophie is perplexed by the ease with which Hailey is making friends, especially with Enoli, one of Sophie's best friends and the girl Hailey sits beside. But, as much as Sophie would like to be friends with Hailey, all she does seems to get her in trouble and give Hailey a bad impression.

Much of the poor impression is related to Sophie's enthusiasm for the class's upcoming assembly presentation. Their teacher, Miss Ruby, has planned on a performance of a song about the sun and the moon with all the students using flashlights to enhance the production. Sophie is so enthralled with her flashlight that she carries it with her and gets caught using it in the bathroom, the school's sick room and the staff room. Each time, the principal Mr. Homewood has to get involved.

Moreover, even when she's just being herself, painting in class, showing interest in Hailey's show-and-tell plant or trying to help Hailey when she drops her flashlight, things go awry, and Sophie causes more accidents and has Hailey declaring, "It's wrecked, because of you." (pg. 75) These are harsh words for a little girl who never intends to do harm but whose actions regularly bring about some upset. Happily Sophie's good nature and determination to make things right ultimately deliver Hailey's forgiveness and friendship.

From Sophie Trophy Too by Eileen Holland, illus. by Brooke Kerrigan

Though Eileen Holland never labels Sophie as a child with a learning disability or ADD/ADHD or on the spectrum, the child's actions suggest some character which may challenge her, particularly in her impetuousness or decision-making or social interactions. She is a bright and imaginative girl who is compassionate but whose complexity of thought sometimes gets her into trouble. Whether choosing to sneak into the school's sick room or into the staff room closet to play with her flashlight, or falling when she tries to sneak a peek at a box of surprises, Sophie's actions are seen as irresponsible or inappropriate. Her classmates may get a laugh from her antics but even Sophie wonders whether they are laughing at her or with her. That's something many parents and teachers forget about children who are dealing with some invisible disability like Sophie. These young people are confused by their peers' reactions, and those of the adults in their lives, regarding their actions which are done without malice but may have unfortunate repercussions. When Sophie gets paint on Hailey's new boots, it is an accident but one that could have been prevented. Unfortunately, Hailey just saw the consequences of that situation and Sophie could not look back and see what she could have done differently.

Eileen Holland keeps Sophie's story at the emotional level of children in the younger grades, making Sophie Trophy Too an exceptional early reader. Young readers will feel for the girl with joie de vivre who gets caught doing thinks she shouldn't be doing. They'll know that feeling, unfortunately. And they'll understand wanting to fit in and be liked and sometimes messing up. Still Eileen Holland takes a light approach to Sophie's foibles, something that illustrator Brooke Kerrigan depicts sweetly in her few sketches, and Sophie Trophy Too becomes the story of any child struggling to fit in.

A Horse Named Steve

Written and illustrated by Kelly Collier

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-736

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

April 2017

Steve is a horse who wants to be exceptional.  When he finds a golden horn in the woods, he attaches it by string to his head, convinced it will make him very special. As Steve parades it in front of his miscellaneous animal friends, cooing about how fancy he is and how ordinary everyone else is, the horn begins to slip from his head until it’s hanging around his neck.  As the other animals begin attaching random embellishments like a branch, an acorn, a mushroom, or a leafy twig to their own heads, Bob the raccoon reveals to Steve that there is no beautiful gold horn on the horse’s head.  Steve starts to panic, searching everywhere and crying despairingly.  When he is convinced that his horn has fallen into the water, Steve demonstrates the lengths to which he’ll go to be considered distinct, revealing more about his desire for individuality than it does for his need for celebrity.

From A Horse Named Steve 

by Kelly Collier

There is definitely a Mélanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel tone to A Horse Named Steve, primarily because of Kelly Collier’s ridiculously self-absorbed horse, sidebar comments throughout the multi-fonted text, and the awkward relationships between Steve and his cohorts.  But A Horse Named Steve is as unique as Steve himself wants to be.  Few characters are a blend of Steve’s ludicrousness and wretchedness so evident in his pursuit, especially since he is convinced that a golden horn will fulfil that need.  But Steve is more childish than mean, craving attention and not knowing how to get it in a positive way.  Kelly Collier’s story reminds us how much the world is driven by individuals desiring fame and celebrity when their uniqueness would serve them better in highlighting their exceptionalities.

A Horse Named Steve is a quirky story about a horse who doesn’t realize how original he already is, and Kelly Collier’s illustrations are as eccentric as he is.  With simple lines and very few colours (black and white with beige), Kelly Collier both pokes fun at her characters, whose distinct facial expressions share hidden meaning, and society in general while amusing young readers with the absurdity of Steve’s passion for a distinction he already has.  They’ll laugh at his silliness but I hope they’ll appreciate his differences as hallmarks of extraordinariness.

From A Horse Named Steve 

by Kelly Collier