Blue Kangaroo

When Kirsten at Assemblage blogged about the blue kangaroo soft toy she crafted for her little girl, she reminded me of the lovely series of books by Emma Chichester Clark. So I re-acquainted myself and borrowed all the volumes held in our local library.

Blue Kangaroo is a beautifully understated character, who never says anything, but is very thoughtful. Through him, Emma Chichester Clark has made the make-believe world of childhood magical: a place where favourite soft toys really do things – under the cover of darkness, of course. She also very gently and subtly conveys some important messages for toddlers, through the actions of Blue Kangaroo’s owner, Lily, and those around her. For this reason, I like these books now even more than I did before I became a mum.

In It Was You, Blue Kangaroo!, we follow Lily on a particularly naughty day, and each time she is confronted about the spills, Lily blames poor Blue Kangaroo. It’s impossible not to identify simultaneously with both Lily – who does all the things that any toddler would do – and with blue kangaroo, who watches on silently, and says nothing when Lily dobs on him. Not many books can successfully help toddlers see how telling tales affects others, and can come back to bite you, but this book does it effortlessly.

What Shall We Do, Blue Kangaroo? resonates particularly with me at the moment, as we are going through a stage when Rowan wants a lot of my attention while he’s playing. Like Rowan, Lily finds the adults in her life busy doing other things, but discovers that, when she tries, she can do many things all by herself. But she forgets one thing: Tiny Teddy left out in the rain, but Blue Kangaroo remembers and helps save the day.

In Happy Birthday to You, Blue Kangaroo!, it’s Lily’s (and Blue Kangaroo’s) birthday. Like many little girls, she wants everything to be PINK! There are pink party clothes and pink presents, pink party games and pink food. Understandably, Blue Kangaroo starts to feel a little outnumbered, and miserably leaves the party. Lily notices of course, and helps make Blue Kangaroo feel loved and included again.

There is also a lovely Christmas book in the series, Just For You, Blue Kangaroo! which shows that Christmas isn’t about big fancy gifts, but about thoughtful gestures, made from the heart.

These books convey such a lovely warmth in Lily’s life, without ever seeming to be didactic or sappy. Through simple situations that children will relate to, the stories show that there are ways to be thoughtful and giving, even when you are small.