Leave Me Alone! has everything necessary for a great picture book: a frustrated main character, epic adventure, and derpy goats. A book with derpy yarn-eating goats may be being considered for the Caldecott Medal, and I’m pretty thrilled about it.

This is cartoonist Vera Brosgol’s first picture book, and though I’ve heard great things about her graphic novel Anya’s Ghost, I haven’t read it yet. I went into this book with no expectations. At first, Leave Me Alone! seems to be your standard folktale, but it quickly morphs into something odd and heartwarming. We’re introduced to an old woman who lives with her huge family in a tiny house. Because she can’t get her knitting done, she packs up and heads out to find some peace and quiet. While searching for a quiet spot, she’s bothered by a bear family, hungry mountain goats, and cute little green aliens. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” is the only thing she says in the entire book, but she isn’t as prickly as we’re led to believe; she has a loving task ahead of her and simply needs time to focus. Elements of the story remind me of Jill Murphy’s classic, Five Minutes’ Peace, but Brosgol trades a bathtub for a wormhole!

This book is Caldecott-worthy for its clean art and design, clever storytelling and imagination. Even the cover is dynamic: four of the story’s characters lean out of their frames to stare at the old woman as she shouts in frustration. Right away, readers can’t help but wonder, “Just why is she so cranky??” Brosgol is a master of characterization, expression, and subtle humor. I was cracking up by the second spread because the old woman has THE BEST annoyed expressions. Brosgol's lines are super clean, and the colors are warm. I love how the book is balanced between excellent use of white space and full spreads of color. She uses rich browns, yellows, greens, and reds that are perfect for the feel of a folktale. By the way, thanks for teaching me what a samovar is, Vera! Now I just need to figure out how to fit one into my backpack…

But let’s speculate about what a room full of adults (the Caldecott committee) might see in this book. How does it display “respect for children’s understandings, abilities, and appreciations”? How does Leave Me Alone! provide a child with a “visual experience” in an exceptional way? Let’s start with the humor. This is a funny book that’s great for story time. There are repetitive phrases, multiple opportunities for shouting out, and the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Also, Leave Me Alone! very importantly explores being alone. Childhood is often very busy and social. Children can definitely relate to the feeling of needing space; mindfulness and quiet time are important for healthy development. Once the old woman finds her quiet spot and completes her knitting, she doesn’t want to be alone anymore and returns to her family. Like the old woman, children thrive by having a support network to fall back on. Maybe the old woman doesn’t have the best manners, but her intentions are golden, and her family is tight-knit.

I’m excited to see that people like this book as much as I do! I’m curious about how kids are reacting to it. Are they enjoying it? Librarians and teachers, did this book make it to your Mock Caldecotts?

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