The Glasshouse by Paul Collins. Illustrated by Jo Thompson. Melbourne: Ford Street, 2010

Cover blurb:

Clara lives in her balanced world where everything is perfect.

Her glasshouse is free of bugs, her prized pumpkins free blemishes. But then one day a boy walks into her life and slowly Clara realises that her world is not perfect at all. paranoia spreads and she loses all her customers. Finally, she must face up to the realisation that her world is not perfect, and she must make allowances and compromise she is to survive.

 I have to admire anyone who can tell their story in picture book format. You have to make your point in only a few words and make it in such a way that children will understand and enjoy, without talking down to them. And this one is a good start for classroom discussion – or parent discussion – of themes like perfectionism and about living in a world of your own, without being willing to communicate with others. 

I may just use it as a start to Literature Circles this year, because there are only a few words, but you can use it for a good discussion.

It’s not for three-year-olds, although you can probably talk to younger ones about the silly girl who’s so crazy about her perfect pumpkins when there’s a lot of other people out there she could be talking to.

The art is gorgeous – and it’s a nice touch to have the last three pages absolutely without text but making the point.

Nice!