SOME THINGS CHANGE
by Mary Murphy & illustrated by Mary Murphy
Murphy's trio of convivial penguins (Please Be Quiet!, 1999, etc.) returns, this time to demystify the nature of change for young readers. With simple prose and bright artwork, this soothing tale is ideal for introducing toddlers, notorious sticklers for routine, to the notion of change. Using a series of rudimentary contrasts that illuminate at once the inevitability and innocuous nature of most changes, Murphy describes changing moods, weather, prerogatives, and more. The sagacious observations range from pithy declarations, "I change," to more pragmatic examples, "Day changes to night." Each statement is accompanied by a full-bleed, two-page spread featuring a penguin parent and two penguin offspring engaging in a fun, familiar activity that exemplifies the various states of change described. That the two young penguins remain notably unruffled by the shifting events is inspiring for young readers. Pictures of chunky penguins gleefully cavorting about, combined with boldly colored backgrounds in vibrant hues of lemon yellow, cerulean blue, and crimson, deftly captures readers' attentions. The chipper tale concludes on an upbeat note, with an affirmation of the one immutable constant for a young child: the love of a parent. Straightforward and accessible for the youngest reader, Murphy's tale offers children a comforting exploration of a challenging and oftentimes unsettling concept. (Picture book. 1-4)