Odd Velvet

by Mary Burg Whitcomb

Book Overview

Velvet is odd. Instead of dolls that talk and cry, Velvet brings a milkweed pod for show and tell. She wins the class art contest using only an eight-pack of crayons. She likes to collect rocks. Even her name is strange--Velvet But as the school year unfolds, the things Velvet does and the things that Velvet says slowly begin to make sense. And, in the end, Velvet's classmates discover that being different is what makes Velvet so much fun.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811820041
• ISBN13: 9780811820042
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 1 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 7

Customer Reviews

WHAT A WONDERFUL LITTLE BOOK.

I liked this one from the first page on. Now I have to admit to being a bit predjudicial here, as the little girl in this story could quite well have been my wife years and years ago when I knew her as a little girl. We have been married 44 years now, and she has not changed much...thank goodness. That being said, this is a wonderful little book to read with those special children (who actually will probably be the ones who end up running the world for us in a few years from now) that have problems fitting in with the other children at school The author and artist do a wonderful job here and both art work and text fit perfectly. This is not a thriller/page turner/bang, bang type book, and more power to it for being as such. The story is well told and leaves plenty of space so that the situation can be discussed with the child. I understand that this is the first work by both author and artist and I certainly hope we will see more like it coming down the line. Recommend this one highly.

Velvet Touch

Everybody knows Velvet and has been Velvet at some time. Great colors; rich story; cool characters. Velvet sees how beautiful the world is and even when people are mean to her, she is still optimistic. Luckily, there are some kids who realize how wonderful Velvet is and how she makes things positive and interesting.

For parents and children to discuss

Odd Velvet is a beautiful story to discuss with children. In fact, if you don't discuss it with your kids, they may miss some of the point of the story or even misunderstand it.One of the messages in this book is simply that material things (like the biggest paint set, the most crayons, or performers at your birthday party) don't make you the best person. The little girl in this story comes from a family that doesn't play the materialism game, and she turns out to be a wonderful, bright, and special person after the kids get past staring at her hand-me-down clothes. It's a great discussion starter for a conversation about how your child sees his or her classmates, what it really takes to have fun, why castles have moats, why a volcano produces ash, what makes a drawing of an apple look "real" (my 73 year-old mom had a 30 minute conversation with my 4 year old boy about light and shade in books and around the house after reading this book!).Don't just read this book with your child, use it as a springboard for a wonderful conversation.

A message of both acceptance of self and others

This book was given to my daughters (then ages 2 1/2 and 5) as a gift and continues to be a favorite a year later. They LOVE the pictures, which are charming and oddly appealing. The faces are multi-cultural as well. The books two messages are offered subtly but clearly. Velvet is confident in who she is and what she likes in spite of the other children -- what parent could hope for more! The other children, at first inclined to whisper about how "Odd" Velvet is, quickly become intrigued by, then enchanted with and eventually start to emulate Velvet and her so-called 'odd' (e.g. not like EVERYONE else) ways. This book is a simple yet a great way to open up discussions with children about the importance of both of these values. It's a favorite now on our 'to give' list.

A gentle tale of acceptance

Velvet has a golden childhood. She finds beauty and joy in the smallest things and the simplest pleasures. Seemingly without any concern for peer group criticism, she carries on unaffected by the observations and mild teasings of the other children in her class. Eventually, of course, they come to appreciate Velvet's perspective, and the class princess even considers her a friend (no small feat in real life). The skewed perspective of the illustrations works to bring the focal point to the fore. Squatters at the back of the classroom's reading rug can easily see the most important detail without being distracted by other detritus on the page. This book is one of those high-demand repeats in our kindergarten and first grade classes. On a larger scale we adults yearn to meet the parents of this special child. We are left to wonder if the family is of lesser means, or if they have discovered the richness of a simple life by having had that "other life" before children came along. Either way, they must clearly have one of those home environments of love and acceptance that thoughtful parents strive for.