Review of Usborne's The Incredible Present
An Usborne Young Reading Series Book – a Perfect Gift for Children
Within Usborne’s Young Reading Series for ages 4 and up, Harriet Castor’s The Incredible Present (Usborne Publishing Ltd 2002, ISBN 0 7460 4855 6) provides a comic story of magic and mayhem for more confident young readers.
In this 64-page paperback book, the young reader and the main protagonist, Lily, are taken on a journey which utilises the age-old fantasy question – what would you do with three wishes? However, as this story unfolds, we learn that the entertainment value of these wishes is doubled, as Lily finds that she has six wishes to use, given to her by her inventive, but ever-absent parents.
Magic and Comedy for Young Readers – and Hidden Pathos
What the reader discovers about Lily is that what she really wants more than anything is to have her parents at home with her and her Gran for her birthday. Lily enjoys being with her Gran, but it’s just not the same as having her parents around – especially on her birthday, and even more so when she is rather disappointed with the presents she receives, although she tries not to show it.
The reader can sympathise with Lily whose imagination, like all children, runs riot regarding the possibilities for her birthday presents, only to have her hopes dashed, one by one, as she opens them. That is, until Lily discovers the one sent by her mum and dad.
Being given six wishes in a bag is all very well, but chaos soon reigns when the words Lily uses every time she wishes are twisted, so that she gets literally what she wants, such as a bed-making robot which doesn’t make her bed for her, but actually builds beds, over and over and over…
The child reader can enjoy the comedy created by the misinterpretation, knowing it doesn’t affect them in any threatening, real way, while it simultaneously drives Lily to breaking point. It is then that her parents, unbeknown to them at the time, have given Lily the means of gaining exactly what she wanted all along. She is able to use a wish to bring them home so they can sort out the terrible mess. It is at this point that her parents decide that they are going to stay at home for good. Lily’s most important wish is granted, bringing about the happy ending all children hope to find on the last page.
Integral Illustrations to Help Children Learn
One of the superb features of the book is the excellent array of illustrations by Norman Young, which are highly detailed reproductions of the text, and more. Norman Young has successfully created his own interpretation, giving the reader extra information to the story. For example, the crayons Lily asks for are described as rather odd, but the illustrations explain the reason why.
This, and many other similar examples, gives the young reader a variety of talking points about the story. It also allows the text to stay relatively simple, and not make the book too detailed and too long, which can be off-putting for the youngster who has just started reading independently.
The overt comic fantasy, then, of Lily’s wishes being granted but causing total chaos, with the underlying subtext of a child’s real wish for a happy ending actually coming true is a fairytale scenario both adult and child can enjoy together. The beautifully detailed illustrations give added impetus of their own to the story as it is read and add extra educational and entertainment value.
The title itself has added value of its own. This really is an incredible present for a child to give or receive on birthdays, for Christmas, or just as an incredible read.
A magical gift for children!
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