DRUTHERS begins with a girl, Penelope, suffering rain-induced boredom. That’s a common picture book scenario, but none the worse for wear. Luckily for Penelope, her kind and cooperative father is there to participate in a range of imagined adventures, from going to the zoo, to going to the moon. Without giving spoilers, suffice it to say that Penelope and her dad are not bored.The story arc is very simple, and Penelope doesn’t have to strive to resolve her dilemma. Her dad asks her a question, and she responds imaginatively. We don’t really get to know her. That said, the story is filled with imagination and love.The illustrations are the book’s greatest strength. Matt Phelan’s style is perfect for picture books. He uses image size, from spot art to full-bleed spread, to accentuate the story. Many of the image backgrounds are in cooler, muted colors, helping the characters pop on the page. The backgrounds feature interesting and sometimes humorous details. For example, near the end, they sit in Penelope’s room, exhausted and disheveled, in a sea of toys that relate to the adventures recently shared. Most importantly, the images convey the sweetness of the two characters. Best line: “The pirate ship would also be a rocket.” Druthers is a sweet story of how a little girl and her father spend a rainy afternoon turning their home upside down with their imaginative play. The father is peacefully reading a book (in a clean and spotless room) when his young daughter states the inevitable, "I'm bored". Her boredom quickly flees when he asks, "If you had your druthers, what would you do?" Their imagination takes flight as they explore one adventure after another. At the end the house may look like a tornado swept through, but the father and daughter discover the best druthers of all! Phelan's soft and beautiful illustrations are perfect for both a rainy day and to depict the love between father and daughter.
What do You think about Druthers (2014)?
Cute imaginative story for storytime, but I would have liked a more imaginative ending :)
—Robyy68
Beautiful story of a girl and her daddy (and the adventures they have!).
—saini
Love this book, the illustrations are awesome and the story is sweet.
—valforeverblue
great mentor text for vocabulary development and theme.
—Morgan_Yandle
