Banjo loves collecting buttons. He finds them simply everywhere – up high, down low, beneath leaves and twigs. Buttons buttons everywhere.
He loves collecting buttons so very much, the other children skip off to play while Banjo continues his search – quite sadly alone with his magnifying glass and sky-high button pile of all shapes and sizes.
When Banjo returns home day, his Grandma Woolly sews his collection right onto Banjo’s favourite jumper – sewing, adding, darning until there’s barely an inch of space left.
One day, as Banjo skips off to school, he comes across a girl by the first banyan tree, weeping over a ducky button. And who should be toting that lost button on his jumper? Banjo! The girl is naturally delighted to find her missing button once again.
The next day, Banjo leaves for school and comes across a man by the second banyan tree. He is also missing a button! And Banjo finds the very one sewn on his favourite jumper. The man is delighted.
On the third day, Banjo finds a lad by the third banyan tree – and sure enough – he’s also missing a button! Very soon, button-missers from far and wide convene near the banyan trees, waiting to see if good old Banjo has found their lost wares.
Of course, pretty soon, Banjo runs out of his missing-button collection – so what on earth can he collect now?
I won’t surprise the lovely ending, but suffice to say – it’s surprising what you can find if you take the time to go looking.
Button Boy is a sweet story about friendship. Repetitive text is done with a thankfully light hand and does help builds expectation mid-story. Banjo is an enormously likeable character and deGennaro’s illustrations are typically droolworthy, her charming houses, trees and characters a total eye-fest.
Just lovely.
Title: Button Boy
Author: Rebecca Young
Illustrator: Sue deGennaro
Illustrator: Sue deGennaro
Publisher: Scholastic, $26.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2011
ISBN: 9781741697971
Format: Hard cover
Format: Hard cover
For ages: 2 – 8
