Jeremy Worried about the Wind

The wind is responsible for the flying actions on the front cover – socks, pens, snails, scarves, underpants – and with the small boy hanging horizontally, desperately onto a lamp post, it invites exploration of the story. Jeremy is a worrier, and his list of unlikely worries is bizarre! He worries about shoe-eating worms, runaway dinosaurs, burnt toast, brown spotty bananas and he is very worried about evil squirrels! But highest of all on his list is the wind. On meeting Maggie who isn’t scared of anything, a friendship develops where Jeremy tries to ensure Maggie will not fall prey to any of the worries on his list, especially those associated with the wind. ‘Come on! What’s the worst that could happen?’ she cries as she pelts out of doors one windy day. But Jeremy is indeed caught by the wind and swept skyward. Three double spreads then follow his amazing adventures, which are without text. He is clearly shown travelling through snowy landscapes, riding with a narwhale, and landing aboard a pirate ship, and being made to walk the plank. In resolution when he returns to Maggie, he tells her how exciting his adventures have been, swept up by the wind, and he wants to do them all over again! Maggie expresses caution, but this time, Jeremy shouts, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’. A tale in which a child faces his fears, with much of the emotion as well as action told in the illustrations. The pictures have details to explore as the tale develops, thereby enhancing the story. There is a QR to be scanned on the inside cover for a free audio reading, which is also enticing. Windy days need to be experienced and fears need to be faced. GB