Astrid and the Sky Calf (Child’s Play Library)

Astrid and the Sky Calf is the story of Dr. Astrid and her hospital for magical beasts. Dr. Astrid is a very good doctor and cures all of her patients. One day, a new patient, a sky calf, arrives, but nothing Dr. Astrid tries does the trick. Slowly, Dr. Astrid realizes that what the Sky Calf needs most is a friend. This is a kind, sensitive story, helping children understand that some things that need to be fixed can’t be fixed with sticky tape. The illustrations are done in crayon, with a limited palette of yellow, orange, blue and white. The starkness and simplicity of the illustrations and the text help the reader take the theme to heart. The illustrations are childlike in nature, but it adds to the charm of the story, as if this is a message from one child to another.