This Is Sadie

Author Sara O'Leary and illustrator Julie Morstad introduce us to Sadie in this lovely Canadian picture-book, detailing the imaginative young girl's many activities and games. From playing with friends down the street to those found in her beloved books, from turning boxes into sailing ships to becoming a mermaid, Sadie's imagination carries her everywhere she wants to go...

I initially tracked This Is Sadie down because I wanted to see more of illustrator Julie Morstad's work, after enjoying her art in such titles as Kyo Maclear's It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way and Julie Fogliano's When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons. The cover image here, of a girl in what looks to be a fox mask, was also a draw, show more given my interest in fox stories for children. I was not disappointed in the visuals here, finding them absolutely magical - the make-believe scenes were best, I think, with their deeply-colored backgrounds - and I thought that Sara O'Leary's simple descriptive text was well-matched to the artwork. This is a lovely depiction of the role of imaginative play in a young child's life, and it struck a chord with me, given my own games of make-believe, at a similar age. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for beautifully-illustrated stories celebrating childhood imagination and play. show less

from Deborah:

This is pretty much the perfect children's book. It reminds me of how it is so easy as a child to blend in the necessary work of dealing with picking out clothes and accommodating "old" people's need for quiet with an imagination that sends you sailing in a cardboard box and blending your life with your favorite characters from books. The illustrations are brilliantly conceived. Sadie's everyday world is cheerful and complex with bright components scattered across white pages, and yet her inner world is lush, soaked in color. This is a book to take the tarnish of adulthood off.

I love, love, love this book! Julie Morstad's illustrations are just gorgeous, with so many details to notice, but such a simple style that they make you want to go paint some yourself. (One delicious surprise to discover if you remove the dust jacket: on the jacket, Sadie is wearing a fox mask. The book itself has the same illustration--minus the mask. So you're unmasking her as you unmask the book.) It's so much fun to read the words which become funny when you notice the contrasting illustration: for example "When it is time to start the day, Sadie tidies her room" is accompanied by a picture of her bed, covers pulled up but not quite hiding the huge mess of stuff shoved under the bed. As mama to a daughter who loves books and show more becomes the characters she reads about, I found Sadie to be absolutely irresistible. It might possibly be one of those books mama loves more than child does, but my daughter and the preschoolers I teach love it too (just not with quite my passion).

I received a review copy from the publisher, but if I hadn't, I would have purchased this one. show less

This book follows the daily life of a young girl as she lives life to the fullest thanks to her imagination. Sadie uses the power of her mind to take everyday activities, situations, and interactions to new heights. She is unrestrained by normal constraints of place or age due to her imagination. The artwork pops in the eyes and the reader can actually feel the explosions of ideas and colors from Sadie's mind just looking at it while following the text. A fun book that is visually playful and powerful at the same time.

It is not a criticism but the review should acknowledge that the idea of imagination taking one places denied them for any reason, the power of the mind, and the wonders of thought is not a new one, especially in board show more book/children's book format. This book does do it better than many due in no small part to the art.

It is easy to imagine a young reader's face get the far-away, bright eyed look while picturing themselves in Sadie's shows. Strong work and quite endearing. show less

A charming story about a girl who is many, many things all rolled into one. Sadie imagines herself in a wide variety of different roles. I liked how they were not all strictly feminine, one moment she is a mermaid, but the next she is a dashing hero ready to save the day. The art is truly lovely in this book, it's understated but also highly expressive, and there are lots of little details to look for on each page. This would be a great book for even very young children. The words in this story are few, but the visuals are lively enough to engage any reader.

There's a Little Bit of Sadie in All of Us

(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this book for review through NetGalley.)

Sadie likes to make boats of boxes
and castles out of cushions.
But more than anything she likes stories,
because you can make them from nothing at all.

Sadie is a little girl with a big imagination. She can talk to birds, sail ships, and fly among the clouds. In her many lives, she's been a mermaid, a boy raised by wolves, and a hero fit for the grandest fairy tales. Sadie loves stories, and this is hers.

This Is Sadie is a lovely, playful ode to the power of imagination and the transformative potential of stories. Many of Sadie's adventures are inspired by popular children's books - Alice in Wonderland, show more The Jungle Book, and every fairy tale ever - which makes this simple picture book a wonderful tool for cultivating a love of reading at a young age. Parents and teachers can use it as a jumping off point for discussing their own favorite kid's books, or perhaps encouraging kids to find new favorites of their own as they grow.

The sparse text, penned by Sara O'Leary, shines next to Julie Morstad's charming illustrations, which are as beautiful as they are whimsical. It was the picture of Sadie, sporting a fox mask and staring out from a field of wildflowers, that first caught my attention. The rest of the artwork is drawn in a similar style and does not disappoint.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2015/05/14/this-is-sadie-by-sara-oleary-and-julie-mors... show less

Oh my heart! I love Julie Morstead's intricate, funny, engaging images and Sara O'Leary's sense of humor. It's a quiet book, but is storytelling and imagination at its best.