Sophie Gilmore is one of my favourite children’s book authors.  Her books have an incredible nostalgic quality, harkening back to the fables and fairy tales of many years ago. Many of us were raised on the classics: Little Red Riding Hood, Chicken Little, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  We have delightful childhood memories of listening to these stories and perhaps even learning or creating mixed up versions. Sophie Gilmore gives us that feeling back. In the digital age where everything is faster, brighter and readily available, we are reminded, through her stories to slow down and enjoy the magic of a good story.

In Freda and the Blue Beetle we meet Freda who doesn’t always listen to others.  She has a mind of her own and that sometimes gets her into a spot of trouble.  When she takes in a blue beetle, affectionately named Ernest, and nurses him back to health the whole town enjoys the help of Ernest as he grows big and strong, strong enough to fell trees and help plot the fields. As with anything new or different, soon the townspeople become wary of Ernest since he is eating what they consider to be more than his fair share, blaming him for the loss of a ewe and turning on him.  Freda realizes that sometimes she has to listen to others but more importantly to always listen to her heart.

Just like Little Doctor, Sophie Gilmore takes us back in time to when life was seemingly more simple and stories had a clear aim and message. I really feel a sense of calm when I read her stories, the illustrations are muted and soft, perfect for a cozy time story.  She does such an incredible job of capturing the feeling of the story in both words and illustrations. Her pictures are full of life but not busy, without too much outside noise. Her stories will be cherished additions to your bookshelf and will hold a place of nostalgia in your heart. These will be the stories that are passed down from us to the next generation.