My Never Ending List

I know that just about everyone has dealt with the feelings that the boy in the book encounters. What I didn’t know was the impact this picture book/graphic novel would have on me as it, blew me away. Containing no words, this book carries a strong, important message that I feel that children and adults can relate to. I feel that this book needs to read together, at least the first time through, because there are many issues that this boy addresses that an adult should talk with a child about to make sure they understand what is truly happening.

 

Life becomes overwhelming for this young boy and immediately, I start to see things piling up for him. He’s not fitting in at school even though he tries, his grades at school are falling, and at home, he’s angry at those who are there for him. Life is not good.

 

 

With powerful, black-and-white illustrations set in graphic novel format, this fantastic, wordless, picture book tells the story of a boy burdened with anxiety that literally, begins to eat at him. I liked the concept of the emotion eating at him because this is what I typically say when I talk about some emotions so to actually see it, was very effective. The emotions begin to arrive in many places where he encounters his difficulties and then they continue following behind him, in the illustrations. The boy notices the bites which occur on his arms, pants and his head. The emotions have no particular shape but are just random wiggly shapes and they seem to multiple.

 

I just felt for the boy and I understood completely what he was going through. Day-in and day-out, the same old and nothing was getting better. Just looking at the illustrations, and watching the boy, you felt his despair. Those eyes! The cracks on his face! Who is going to help him!? Then, a door opens and the look.

 

I  think reading it more than once and seriously looking at the illustrations is a must. You definitely need to check out this book. I highly recommend it.