I read a children’s picture book recently which really touched me. It’s called, Keeping Up With Roo, by Sharlee Glenn; illustrated by Dan Andreasen, published by G.P. Putnam Sons. It’s a sweet, warm book about a young girl, Gracie, whose best friend is her mentally handicapped aunt, Ruth. The two have a special relationship where they play “school,” catch water skeeters, and slide down haystacks. Yet as Gracie grows, she must eventually make the tough decision about whether to continue to include “Roo” (as she affectionately calls her aunt) in her new friendships.
“But then one day Gracie didn’t want to have school with Roo when she got home. She wanted Mama to drive her into town to play at Sarah’s house instead. And the next day she had to go to piano lessons.
“Every afternoon when Roo saw the old school bus rattle buy, she would rush out to the willow tree, sit at her apple crate, and wait. Sometimes Gracie came and sometimes she didn’t.”
Author Sharlee Glen uses beautiful, clear language that evokes heartfelt emotion without being trite or preachy. Her words dance whimsically on the page and paint a sensitive, lively picture of a child’s relationship with someone special in her life.
Dan Andreasen illustrates with a style that reminds me, just a little, of those antique newspaper print advertisements for ivory soap. He uses soft hues and cherubic faces that give just the right feel for this touching story. It’s a perfect match for the text, in my view.
Books that teach acceptance, tolerance, and especially love for those with mental challenges should be applauded and supported by us as parents of special needs children. Children form their earliest impressions about disabled people from the reactions and attitudes they observe from their parents. Keeping Up with Roo will lend itself to discussions with your child about people with mental handicaps, and what our attitudes and behaviors toward them should be. The book teaches that the mentally challenged have feelings, desires, and hopes just like the rest of us. Siblings of special needs children will certainly appreciate and relate to Gracie’s feelings of both unconditional love and uncertainty.
This is a delightful book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. You can find it at Amazon.com by clicking here.