Synopsis:
The story of young Dylan and his inseparable companion ‘Cosydoze’ (blanket or blankie for my North American readers) is a very sweet one. It employs many traditional methods of storytelling for young readers. For example, there is often a rhyming scheme used and the plot will appeal to both children and parents alike. In particular, Dylan’s temper tantrums and question of ‘are we there yet?’ whilst Mum and Dad are driving will resonate with anyone who has small munchkins of their own. The character of Dylan conjures images of Linus van Pelt from Peanuts with his cosydoze; the style of artwork is also reminiscent of said comic strip. Elsa Joseph does an excellent job conveying a sense of exasperation and later relief when Dylan loses his blanket during a trip to his grandmother’s house. After a series of naughty tantrums (after all, he is a very young lad), the cosydoze is found to have been snatched by granny’s dog Sundown. After its return Dylan instantly falls asleep in his crib. Granny has all sorts of activities planned for the adults but they too have fallen into a peaceful slumber after such a chaotic episode. It is a wholesome and very down-to-earth tale which all parents can identify with and imbue with their own experiences while reading it aloud to their children.
Elsa Joseph uses a clean approach to the style of the book itself. Illustrations are front and centre one white backgrounds with one or two sentences to support them. There is no clutter or major distractions from the focal point of the work. The sketches themselves are charming and remind one of Quentin Blake who provided much of the art for Roald Dahl. The rhyming scheme is easy to follow and effective, while the environment of granny’s house is welcoming and provides a sense of comfort to the reader. Perhaps the greatest strength of the short story lies in how Elsa Joseph has used a mundane, everyday situation as the structure for such a sweet tale; at some point every parent will have experienced their child forgetting a favourite toy or indispensable item at home during a road trip. In conclusion, ‘Dylan’s Cosydoze’ is definitely worth picking up as a quick bedtime story for your kids. Just make sure they have their own blankets close at hand before you begin.
Strengths:
-A wholesome and cute story for all ages.
-Charming illustrations for every page.
-Effective use of rhyming and wordplay.
-A warm and comforting environment.
-Depiction of a very realistic situation in a playful manner.
-Short and simple sentence structure for young readers.
Areas for Improvement:
-The resolution of the title page (the title itself is blurry as a result of low dpi scanning).
-Perhaps a final ‘end’ page for paperback editions.
-Dylan’s skin appears a bit ‘splotchy’ in a few illustrations (this is perhaps intentional so feel free to disregard).
Rating: 8.5/10 (adult) 8/10 (young readers)
