Climbing trees, playing soccer, and riding scooters have three things in common: scrapes, bruises, and fun. 5 Different Boo-Boos by Maggie Keefe and illustrated by Vaughan Duck, encourages kids to not let a few boo-boos get in the way of an adventurous day.
Told through the first person perspective of an energetic and bold girl, we follow her throughout a week of adventures. Joined by her band aid-toting dog, she ventures from home, to school, and to the park where she jumps at any bit of play, and find multiple ways to acquire a scrape, bump, or bruise.
Keefe tells each day in an offbeat rhyme perfect for read-alongs.
She separates the lines into easy little stanzas and varies their lengths to keep the story’s rhythm interesting—just enough of a challenge for very young readers. Key words pop out in a large font and eye-catching colors.
Vaughan Duck’s illustrations capture the excitement of a sunny day outside.
Swaths of blue and green blend in the background, contrasted by bright pink objects and clothing around the main character. Along with this strong color identity, Duck’s art has a sense of space and motion to match such an active kid.
The protagonist herself has a scrappy, scuffed design that harkens to a child’s irrepressible interest in exploring the world around her. Young readers will love the cute little dog chasing behind her to offer comfort after a tumble, and every other character comes alive with a distinctive and diverse design of their own.
A vibrant, rhythmic read-along, 5 Different Boo-Boos by Maggie Keefe and illustrated by Vaughan Duck, teaches little kids that they might get a scratch and a bump, but they can always get back to playing. And, even if they get hurt the first time they try something new, it just means there’s more to learn and more fun to be found.
