Kerascoët

When a young girl sees the new child at school being bullied, she is disturbed, and not sure what to do. Thinking it over at home, she is struck with an idea, and the next morning she shows up at Vanessa's door, determined to give her some company on her walk to school. The other children in her social group join in, and soon their number is swelled by other pupils as well, until almost everyone but the bully is walking with Vanessa...

A wordless picture-book that works beautifully as an show more exploration of bullying and how to respond to it, I Walk with Vanessa: A Story about a Simple Act of Kindness is the first title I have read from author/illustrator Kerascoët, a pseudonym for husband and wife team Sébastien Cosset and Marie Pommepuy. The story itself is sweet, and the artwork appealing. There were scenes that reminded me very strongly of the work of Australian picture-book creator Bob Graham, which is high praise in my book. Recommended to anyone looking for new children's stories addressing the themes of bullying, kindness and inclusion, as well as to anyone who enjoys wordless picture-books. show less

First sentence: Bear with me!

Premise/plot: Oh how I love thee, let me count the ways. This is a near wordless picture book starring a growing girl (she's an infant on the first spread and starting school towards the second half) and her beloved bear. Throughout the book, you see her growing up. This sequence is beautifully illustrated and super relatable. The conflict in this one--well, one of two conflicts, perhaps--is WHAT will she do at school without bear? (And perhaps just perhaps what show more will Bear do all day without her while she's at school.)

My thoughts: I don't always love wordless books, but this near-wordless picture book charmed me from page one. SO much story is expressed on each spread. SO much emotion. So many relatable experiences--from both sides. For example, the sequence where the dad has had ENOUGH and is putting his foot down, so to speak, and washing Bear in the washing machine. Those two pages express so much just through illustrations alone. But I think my favorite pages deal with the girl's attempt to take the Bear with her. Literally, "Bear with me."

I loved this one so much. It was super cute and adorable. It was very relatable. show less

A sweet book with a very important and always relevant message. The only reason I didn't give it the full five stars is beause I would have liked to see the bully get some sort of comeuppance. I realize that the overall message was about reaching out to others and showing compassion when they need it most. But it still would have been nice to see him be dealt with, if only to prevent him from bothering anyone else.

A beautifully wordless picture book that speaks volumes about empathy and the power of small acts of kindness. Through expressive illustrations alone, it tells the story of a girl who stands up against bullying by walking with a new classmate. It's quietly profound, showing that even the youngest among us can be agents of change.