Tall Inside

Another story aimed at helping children cope with being different. So many authors take this theme and somehow make the whole thing heavy and contrived, but Jean Richardson's story, enhanced by Alice Englander's excellent illustrations, never falls into this trap. Joanne is the smallest in her class and, already sensitive about her height, has to cope with being excluded from a gang of friends because she can't reach a certain branch in a tree. Through meeting a stilt-walking clown who turns out to be small as well, she comes to realise that externals such as height matter a lot less than how people feel inside about themselves. Jean Richardson introduces various subplots, such as the motives of one of the gang in setting a test she knew Joanne would fail, but wisely makes no comment and it is such delicacy of touch that lifts this book above many others of the genre.