Dory Fantasmagory

Reality and imagination blend seamlessly on every page of this story as a little girl (aged six and the youngest of three) copes with being constantly elbowed out of her siblings’ games. Dory’s brother and sister find endless things to pick on: they don’t like her onesie, they don’t like her silly questions, she’s too babyish, etc! Eventually poor Dory starts to question herself. Perhaps they’re right, she wonders. (“I still overflow everything I pour”… there are so many lines like this that parents and children will identify with.)

But when the siblings invent a terrifying character to keep Dory out of their way, Dory’s imagination becomes the triumph of the story and indeed eventually secures her a place in one of their games.

Although children of around 6 will identify with Dory, older readers will love the humour too and perhaps enjoy looking back on how ‘young and silly’ they used to be, so I highly recommend this illustrated story to anyone from 5-9 (and it’s a great one to share with the whole family).

Emily Gale is the Online Children’s Book Specialist.