Emily and The Red Balloon Club

The illustrations in Emily and The Red Balloon Club are precious. Stewart presents scenes in a clean, simple way, yet some details are surprisingly complex, like the bark on a tree or the paved walkway through the garden. My favorite scenes are those involving the elephants, Max and Emma. On one page, the reader finds them playfully spraying water at each other, and on the next page, they are splashing in a puddle with Emily as the storm gathers in the background. Emily’s muted red dress beautifully complements the deep blue of the water and the green of the garden around her.

I love that Stewart takes what some may perceive as a weakness, being a shy introvert, and turns it into a strength. In Emily, we find an intuitive child who carefully observes the animals in the garden to determine what they enjoy, and then she engages them through those activities. For example, when Ling, the panda bear, finds himself too shy to play with Emily, Emily goes to the lake to catch a fish for Ling. This simple act of kindness helps Ling overcome his shyness and then go for a walk with Emily. Stewart highlights Emily’s strengths: observing others, taking thoughtful action, kindness, and being a good friend.