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Secret Dawn.
Edith Newlin Chase. Illustrated by Yolaine Lefebvre. Subject Heading:
Preschool - grade 3 / Ages 4 - 8.
***/4
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excerpt:
When the first thin light comes creeping
Up the early edge of day,
And the household is still sleeping,
To the place that I am keeping
SECRET DAWN is Edith Newlin Chase's third poem published as a
picture book. It joins her much-loved picture books The New Baby
Calf and Waters. The appealing verse vividly
describes a child's secret place -- a special hideaway -- where, in the
tranquillity of the early morning, she can think and write in peace.
Canadian illustrator Yolaine Lefebvre captures the beauty of the dawn,
with its shadows and mystery, in her watercolour illustrations.
The subject of Secret
Dawn is near and dear to any child: a private to dream
and delight. Awakening as dawn breaks, a young girl slips outside to her
secret hideaway, the willow tree. In the stillness of the morning, she
experiences the mystery of her "shadowy shrine." Exploring her box of
treasures, she finds her notebook and a pencil stub to record: "The
secret thoughts and secret rhymes/That I think to myself and write
sometimes."
Secret Dawn is
a book that encourages children to dream and adults to reminisce. Chase's
lyrical verse conjures magic and will introduce children to the use of
words for painting visual and mental images: "Like a leafy mammoth
pillow/In the dim delight of dawn"
The double-page spread
illustrations also effectively evoke the ethereal atmosphere of a child's
secret place. Lefebvre's "wet-on-wet" technique and wonderful choice of
colour provide a dreamy effect and nestle the reader within the privacy
of the willow's branches. Even the end papers help set the mood. (An
explanation of Lefebvre's technique provides valuable information for
readers interested in learning more about illustration.)
Secret Dawn
introduces the young reader to the magic of poetry. The text and
illustrations cohesively convey a secret hideaway and the dreaminess of
the early dawn. Together, they invite readers to stop and dream about a
special place and a secret pastime.
Recommended for personal and library collections.
Janice Foster is currently a teacher-librarian/enrichment coordinator
in the Fort Garry School Division in Winnipeg.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cmeditor@mts.net.
Copyright © 1996 the Manitoba Library Association.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice
is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364