Publisher's Weekly- Starred Review
Canadian artist Chaperon uses a standard "A is for" structure in her children's
debut, but when that A stands for "astral projection," it's immediately
apparent that this is a rare and special abecedary. It's impossible not to feel
the presence of Edward Gorey's Gashlycrumb Tinies in Chaperon's portraits of
somber, willowy girls, tidily dressed in pleated skirts, Peter Pan collars, and
ribbons. For G, a redheaded girl eating her breakfast cereal is beset by tiny
gremlins that tug at her hair and arm. "Separation anxiety" keep a pair of
girls from school-kneeling cheek to cheek, they appear to be conjoined twins.
By themselves, the images can be foreboding, unsettling, or bleakly funny; what
takes them to another plane entirely is that Chaperon paints them on the covers
and interiors of weathered old books, creating delicious thematic connections.
A pink book jacket screams Now We Are Enemies as a girl with a sword glares
off-page for "R is for Revenge"; a "dumbstruck" student's empty speech bubble
is set against a yellowed index page crammed with verbiage. Just creepy enough
to make parents insist on driving their kids to school. All ages. (Feb.)
Kirkus:
An alphabet of excuses, from “A is for ASTRAL PROJECTION” to “Z is for ZOMBIE APOCALPYSE,” channels the gothic spirit of Edward Gorey.
The text follows the standard abecedary model, with a large single letter and a following line on each spread’s verso. The excuses range from at least faintly credible (“K is for KIDNAPPED”; “M is for MONONEUCLOSIS”) to such less-floatable plaints as “E is for ENNUI” and “G is for GREMLINS.” Painted largely on the covers, jackets or endpapers of old books (with the titles often visible), 26 neurasthenic girls cast in gloomy lighting and clad in school-uniform blouses, skirts and high boots poutingly model or act out each alibi amid minimally detailed surroundings. The backgrounds can be the best parts of the illustrations. Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls is a nice complement to G; Out of the Night is positively brilliant for “I is for INSOMNIA”; A Perfect Spy makes mordant comment on “O is for OBSERVATION,” in which a drowning girl is espied through a pair of binoculars. Others are less successful: Why position an ex libris sticker over the conked-out girl in “N is for NARCOLEPSY”?
Of doubtful utility as an idea book for young slackers but sure to draw a few chuckles from the teen leather-and-lip-ring set—and grown-ups who often find themselves writing or receiving parental notes to the teacher. (Picture book. 12 & up)
CM REVIEW: 4/4 stars
Vancouver-based artist Rebecca Chaperon’s gothic themed ABC book is reminiscent of Hilaire Belloc’s 1907 Cautionary Tales for Children and Edward Gorey’s 1963 The Gashlycrumb Tinies: A Very Gorey Alphabet Book. Each of the heroines in this creative book suffers a fate or malady that keeps her from attending school. The 26 reluctant schoolgirls are faced with a number of emotions, illnesses, and misadventures that cause them to be absent, including Ennui, Narcolepsy and the Zombie Apocalypse to name just a few. The book is by turns creepy (T is for Teleportation), disturbing (K is for Kidnapped), and funny (J is for Juvenile Delinquent).
Rendered in acrylics, each stunning illustration is a two-page spread. The left page features the letter and what it stands for and the opposite page an image of the heroine. Each young girl (or part of her) appears against the backdrop of an old, worn book cover. On the “L is for Lost” page, for instance, the torso of a headless girl in vintage inspired white oxford with yellow tie, a green knee length skirt, and high-heeled boots holds a flashlight that illuminates the forest where she searches for her head. The vintage book in the background includes the word “before” embossed in gold letters on the spine and features images of ships and anchors on its cover, capturing the theme of loss and discovery. Throughout the rest of the book, the images continue to complement and extend the minimalist text.
The book is a welcome relief to over sentimentalized images of girls as princess or sweet innocents that so often appear in popular culture. For instance, “G is for Gremlins” pictures a young girl interrupted while eating cereal with the background a book entitled “Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls” while “R is for Revenge” features a fierce girl, holding a large knife against a faded pinkish book cover that reads, “Now We are Enemies.”
Eerie Dearies is a refreshing contribution to the picture book genre as it confounds simplistic definitions of audience, form, and content. This ABC book will be a favourite for irreverent readers as well as those who would prefer to fantasize about being abducted by aliens rather than enduring the drudgery of the schoolroom.
Highly Recommended.
