WIGGLING WORDS

A youngster struggles with “jumbling, tumbling” letters but with perseverance masters reading.

Using a striking two-tone palette of denim blue cyanotype and matte scarlet set against creamy, dyslexia-friendly backgrounds, Rolfe focuses on a wispily illustrated child who desperately wants to finish reading a book. But the “wiggling, jiggling” letters aren’t cooperating. Brief, evocative phrases, with a strong emphasis on action verbs, demonstrate how overwhelming the little one finds the task. A potent series of pages depicts the protagonist glowering, howling in frustration, and ripping the book apart; the sequence ends with a stark white ripped page set against an oppressive red backdrop. As tears fall, so do letters, creating a mountain of blocky, hand-printed letters that stand between the child and the book. It’s a powerful visual metaphor for the dyslexic learning experience. Then—a breakthrough. Snatching an O from the pile and looking through it, the child glimpses “a world where anything…can be!” Letters transform into flowers and animals. The narrator is frank as chaos gradually turns to order: “I have so far to go. But letter by letter, [I’ll] find my own way.” A sturdy castle springs up, with the child lounging inside a letter O, reading at last. Youngsters, especially those with learning differences, will cheer the child’s accomplishment. A validating author’s note reminds readers of the many ways to learn. Aptly, the typeset is OpenDyslexic. The child has skin the color of the page.

A visually rich and empowering read.