There is a difference between a mess and being messy. Likewise, something dreamy does not mandate that it is sleepy. Unless it’s meant to be read at bedtime, a sleepy illustrated book is not ideal for describing something you want kids to enjoy. Any child can make a mess, yet every child is not messy. What Can a Mess Make? is an illustrated book about a pair of sisters who make the most of their messes via creativity, sharing, forgiveness, patience and life.
What Can a Mess Make? follows the sisters on a day when the two are at home and there’s nothing to do. They start with a great breakfast, freshly squeezed orange juice, and yogurt with fruit as they look out their back porch. The girls take stock of their crafting supplies, check for rubber bands, boxes, small objects that can rattle around in tin containers and are greeted by their own band that proceeds to march around the garden. As it’s a lazy day, the girls make their quiet area where they’re able to chill out, recharge and of course they get the paper out so that they can paint.
When they get the costume jewelry out an argument ensues because of their inability to share. The sisters quickly mend the fences and start preparing dinner, but an unfortunate accident derails dinner, so the family has to pivot. It all ends happily with the sisters cleaning up after their pillow fight and being so tired from all of the messes that they made that they fall asleep in the same bed.
What Can a Mess Make? is a charming illustrated book for ages four through eight for two main reasons. The obvious one that parents and kids will notice is the artwork. Some of the pages are corner to corner, illustrating one scene, while a couple of them have two illustrations that show the progression of the story. Readers will see the older sister getting some supplies and the younger one is fully engrossed in her project. This subconscious variety in the illustration’s pacing works well with the text in providing an ebb and flow that young readers probably won’t realize is happening.
The girls in What Can a Mess Make? are thoroughly modern. You can tell by the way they dress they’re in modern times and could live down the street from your neighborhood. Kids won’t notice unless it’s pointed out to them that there aren’t any cell phones or video games. They make their own fun. They have disagreements and things during their day go sideways, but they handle it. The absence of technology gives the book a timeless appeal that retorts the statement of “I’m bored!”, without having to echo parenting tips from the 80’s or snap back, “I realize that, but I can’t fix your boredom, only you can.”
This isn’t a lesson book, but it demonstrates how to overcome things that might not be perfect, and make them entertaining in the life of a typical kid. What Can a Mess Make? is a story time or read-aloud book that isn’t designed to provide belly laughs, this is comfort food that gives constant warm fuzzies. The sibling or sister aspect is one that’s quickly overcome if kids in our audience don’t have either of them. The activities and sensibilities of the book translate to any kid who wants to relax, but not put to sleep. It also translates easily to questions that teachers can ask the kids about their routines at home that mirror the ones in the book.
What Can a Mess Make? is by Bee Johnson and is available on Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing.
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