Description Share Post This Would NEVER Happen to Rita Simona Ciraolo (Walker Books) Rita’s drawing of a rhododendron is ‘very beautiful’. Thereafter, her father says that he will ‘keep it forever’. Although our storyteller’s picture is ‘good’ she sees the stain upon it, and scrunches it up. However, the stain isn’t only on her picture. It seems to be on her clothing though she planned everything she needs for her ‘new class: white cap, white socks, white shoes‘. She is keen to be neat with her ‘dress in [her] bag‘. However, she’s late. What’s more, the stain refuses to leave. In fact, it won’t leave her alone. This means that everything is spoiled, from piano playing to reading aloud, while every painting never ‘looks quite right‘. Can she push it away? Or might it be that she sees something different, from stepping back? Simona Ciraolo seems to tread her own path in her picture books. it seems that each new production is unique, with a fresh voice and ripe considerations. After all, just think of When Mino Took the Bus. Somehow she hears her characters’ secret, inner voice. Thereafter the colours are tuned, so precisely to mirror their impressions. Here, there’s a feeling of being muted, so we’re within citrus tones upon which the stain blares. However, is this true? Then again, is this stain the only one in existence. Really? Bookwagon suggests that This Would NEVER Happen to Rita is essential to reading aloud, assemblies, discussion, PHSE and philosophy. What an outstanding, essential picture book.
