Elem. – I’s the B’y

Soloy, Lauren. I’s the B’y. Greystone Kids, 2022. 978-1-771-64833-2. Unpaged. $18.95. Grades K-3.

Illustrator Lauren Soloy takes readers young and older on a rollicking exploration of a traditional Newfoundland folk song, “I’s the B’y”. A charming parade of characters, both human and animal, wander through the pages of the book as the song unfolds, revealing insight into Newfoundland culture. Readers can’t help but smile along with the exuberance reflected in the illustrations. Puffins, a fiddle-playing fish, and a cuddle Newfoundland dog mingle with joyful Newfoundlanders, participating in the fun. The book is a visual smorgasbord, with Soloy’s watercolor images radiating warmth and humor. While readers may not understand the vernacular of the song, and its many references, Soloy neatly solves the problem by including a lengthy Note From the Illustrator that walks the reader through the lyrics, explaining both terms and what the individuals are doing in each illustration. For this reader, the Notes were at least as interesting as the book, and ensure that readers do a second pass through the book, reexamining the lyrics as well as the artwork. For the musically inclined, Soloy also includes the music to the song, so an interested reader can pick out the tune. This book is a delightful exploration of a culture that should not be as alien to Americans as it is.

THOUGHTS: This book can be appreciated for Soloy’s artwork alone, but the addition of the Notes turns the experience into a merry delve into Canadian culture. The book also would have an application in music classes exploring folk songs.

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

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