A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
Raschka, C. (2011). A ball for Daisy. Schwartz & Wade. (C. Raschka, Illustrator) ISBN 9780375858611
A Ball for Daisy is a wordless picture book by Chris Raschka. In A Ball for Daisy, we follow Daisy as she lives every day as happily as ever with her favorite red ball. All is well until one day, tragedy strikes, and her ball is gone forever. Read on to find out if Daisy will ever find happiness again in the book A Ball for Daisy!
A Ball for Daisy was the first wordless picture I have read. When I picked the title, I was not aware that A Ball for Daisy was wordless, but I am glad I did not know because had I, I most likely would've changed titles. Reading A Ball for Daisy was like riding a rollercoaster. There were ups and downs, happiness and sadness, and all of this was portrayed without a single word! Chris Raschka does a wonderful job of portraying Daisy as a very expressive dog, and it is very clear what she is feeling, whether it be through her expressive facial features or other background elements such as darker clouds. Despite there being no words, the message of the book to me was very clear, love and loss are a part of life, and just because it seems like one event is the end of the world (Daisys' ball popping), in the end, no matter how bad it seems, everything will turn out alright.
While reading this title, seeing Daisy overjoyed with her red ball reminded me of my own dog, Ember, whose favorite toys are also tennis balls, and seeing the way that Daisy was interacting with her ball and how she felt with it and after losing it, reminded me of how Ember reacts as well. When Ember has her ball, it is as if the ball is the greatest love of her life, and when she finally breaks or loses her tennis ball, it is the world's greatest tragedy when she can't find or use it anymore. Daisy's reactions are very clearly portrayed; I know it because I see the same emotions run through my dog with her balls! The clear portrayal may be one of the reasons young kids love A Ball for Daisy because they may be able to relate to the story due to their own pets or an event where they lost their favorite toy or comfort object, and they remember how they felt when they found it or got it replaced.
Chris Raschka's illustrations are beatufilly done, and it is done in an art style I have not seen before. My first impression of his art style was abstract watercolor, though I am not 100% sure if that is how the illustrations were created. Either way, his art style does well for the story, and adding small features, such as the use of darker colors such as dark blue, purple, and gray to illustrate Daisy's sadness when her ball is popped, is what makes this title timeless and a relatable to readers of any age! A Ball for Daisy is a title all readers should read, as it is relatable and beautifully drawn, and the lack of words will make the reader come up with their own storyline each time they read it!
Readers who enjoyed A Ball for Daisy may enjoy Raschka's other titles, such as Cowy Cow (which is not a wordless picture book) or Yo! Yes? also by Raschka. For more wordless picture books, other titles include Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola. Activities for A Ball for Daisy include having the narrator the first time they read A Ball for Daisy, with minimal to no interruptions for the authors. This would be after the concept for a wordless picture book is introduced, so that they child is encouraged to use their imagination!
What Readers Have to Say:
Daniel Kraus from Booklist says "This story about loss (and joy) is accomplished without a single word, which is perfect it puts you directly in the head space of its canine protagonist. ... The result feels like something of pure emotion. Pretty close approximation of what it's like to be a dog, probably" (Kraus, 2011).
Awards:
- Caldecott Medal (2012)
- Notable Children's Books (2012)
A ball for Daisy. A Ball for Daisy | Awards & Grants. (n.d.). https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/ball-daisy
A ball for Daisy. A Ball for Daisy | Awards & Grants. (n.d.-a). https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/ball-daisya-ball-daisy
Kraus, D. (2011, June 1). Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka: Booklist online. Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka. https://www.booklistonline.com/A-Ball-for-Daisy-Chris-Raschka/pid=4844698
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