Librio Library #65 – “Can I Sit in the Middle – Susanne Straßer
2 Minute ReadWhy we chose “Can I Sit in the Middle?”
What makes a good picture book? A question that everyone would probably answer a little differently. For all those who think that a good picture book doesn’t necessarily need detailed illustrations or long texts, we have something for you: ‘Can I Sit in the Middle’ is a book that is as simple as it is ingenious, with a very special effect thanks to its simplicity. The reduction, be it in the language, the illustrations or the plot, leaves room for the children’s imagination to run free – and really brings the story to life.
Yay, we’re reading a book! Is everyone ready? Then we can get started. But wait – the stork is still missing!
Right… Now that we’re all finally together, we can get started. But wait, the cat still wants to get a pillow! Right, Cat’s pillow is sorted, now we can start. Or perhaps not?
‘Can I Sit in the Middle?’ by Susanne Straßer is a lot of fun. A funny read-aloud book that makes a great addition to any bookshelf – including that of our office library.
Favorite Image
Susanne Straßer sets the story in an inconspicuous living room and the setting is somewhat reminiscent of a theater performance. A performance that we enjoy watching again and again.
Kids will like
Every time it looks like everyone is ready to read the book, something unexpected comes up. It’s fascinating for children! The story thrives on repetition and through this repetition, the humour really comes to the fore.
Adults will like
‘Can I Sit in the Middle?’ radiates good humor and appeals to more than just children with its enchanting energy.
Another great extra: the pages are made of thick cardboard, which can withstand even enthusiastic little hands and make the book a long-lasting companion for the reading aloud ritual.
If you like “Can I Sit in the Middle?”
Susanne Straßer, born in 1976 in Erding, Germany, works as an illustrator and author and is a lecturer in illustration at Munich University of Applied Sciences. She’s published a series of successful cardboard picture books with Peter Hammer Publishing, including ‘Soup Is Ready!’, ‘So Light, So heavy’ and ‘So Far Up’.
More recommendations from our collection
Less is more – a recipe that not only works wonderfully for ‘Can I Sit in the Middle?’ but also for many other picture books. For example, “Little Bear’s Little Boat” by Eve Bunting and Nancy Carpenter, which we presented to you in this article, proves that it doesn’t take much to make a captivating picture book. You can find more selected book recommendations in our blog.
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