I applaud Darcy Pattison’s nonfiction picture books about nature and science, and her instruction on indie publishing is very helpful.
However, her 2019 picture book I Can Make Wise Choices is underwhelming. It is a useful book, and I can see why she would write and publish it. This book coaches kids on making choices, guiding them through small, medium, and large choices in relatable scenarios, always guiding them to make wise choices and teaching them how to do so.
The goal is great…but the book itself is, as I said above, underwhelming. Camille Wood’s illustrations are functional, but not engaging. They won’t draw kids in, and the instruction itself seems basic. There’s limited stress, and everything works out well and easily. There are no temptations, either modern (social media) or classic (if your friends jumped off a bridge…). The choices are individual, without the complexities of a social or even family context (like choosing differently from family or friends).
So, well-intentioned, but only okay.
