A refreshing tale of growing up and learning the hard way
Pippa is a plucky little pigeon with sky-high ambitions. She wants only to fly solo – to see more of the world beyond her nest and well-meaning but suffocating parents. But when Pippa decides one day to ignore their warnings and take a leap into the unknown, alone, life as she knows it will never be the same.
Pippa is a heartfelt tale of growing up, told through the eyes of a homing pigeon and her overbearing parents. But unusually, it’s not a cautionary tale, even when Pippa’s life is in danger – rather, it warns against overprotective parenting in favour of being supportive and giving your children a safe space to take risks and try new things. Pippa reminds us to take a chance and let go, to follow our dreams and desires despite the risks involved or other’s disapproval.
Like many young readers can be, Pippa is small, determined and stubborn. She lives a sheltered existence under her parents’ watchful eye, and with no personal boundaries or exposure to danger or consequences, Pippa is more than willing do her own thing and bite off more than she can chew. When she takes matters into her own wings and realises she can’t do it alone, Pippa learns that it’s the safety, love and security of her family that matters most. Refreshingly, when Pippa does return home a little worse for wear, her parents don’t punish her for curiosity – but welcome her back home.
Told by award-winning children’s author Dimity Powell and her signature soft but powerful storytelling, Pippa is interspersed with pigeon facts and some more challenging language, lending itself well to discussion about more challenging vocabulary. Although not a rhyming picture book, the occasional rhyming sequence and use of alliteration, complemented by Andrew Plant’s colourfully detailed illustrations make this book a joy to read, and one full of movement and life. Pippa is an essential story for young readers and parents alike – championing adventure and independence and reminding us that sometimes in life, lessons must be learnt the hard way for us to learn anything new at all.
Alex , 11/10/2019
Pippa
When Pippa’s parents refuse to let her fly on her own, will she prove them wrong? Pippa is the story of a fiercely independent young pigeon who wants nothing more than to explore the skies on her own. Like most children with visions foggy with desire to prove themselves, Pippa ignores her parents’ pleas for her not to venture into the world. Will Pippa be able to survive the dangers of the world beyond the nest?
Featuring double-page illustrations and a beautiful array of colour by Andrew Plant, Pippa effectively juxtaposes the safe warmth of the nest with the cold, cruel exterior world. Although there are scenes depicting the gorgeous landscape that is worth taking a risk for, Pippa soon finds herself in danger. Text warps sideways as Pippa flies, symbolising her fear and desperation to overcome the obstacles in front of her. Her antagonists include multiple pigeon-consuming predators and her own hunger, lack of bodily strength and misdirection.
Dimity Powell uses a solid rhythm and pulse which makes the text easy to read aloud. Children will delight in the heavily alliterated lines as they bring a great sound to the ears. The writing has a good use of imagery to build the world of the text and to draw in the reader.
Overall Pippa is a cautionary tale of a pigeon that is overwhelmed by the suffocating rules of her parents, and teaches parents to allow their children to have room to grow. Pippa, whilst advocating for children to take well-balanced risks of their own, also argues that family will always be there for you and home will often be more enjoyable than the outside world. This book is recommended for children aged 3+.
R, 11/10/2019
