September 1, 2021
Three Smurf stories carry some serious messages within the bright cartoons. Welcome to a village full of the small blue creatures as problems appear and Papa Smurf works his wisdom. The book contains three stand-alone stories of about 30 pages each with enough text per page (usually with one to three panels each) that even experienced readers will probably need three sittings to complete the book. Pages in which the message is explicated are typically quite text heavy. In the first story, Scaredy Smurf is afraid, especially at night. After trial and error, the village Smurfs find a solution but create a new problem, too. In the second, Clumsy Smurf just wants to help, but he makes a mess every time until Papa Smurf assigns him a tough task with a twist. In the last story, which focuses on greed and healthy eating, Greedy Smurf doesn't want what's on the menu but is happy to steal everyone's Smurfberry desserts. Greedy's sweet tooth puts the whole village in danger from Gargamel and his cat, Azrael, until Greedy and Papa Smurf trick Gargamel. In the backmatter are three story-specific guides for child readers written by a psychologist specializing in early childhood disorders. Establishing the format, the first guide is organized by subtopic--"Why are we afraid?"; "Sometimes, we can't control it"; "Get over your fears"--with a concluding list of "Advice from Papa Smurf." These child-friendly stories will prompt discussion of three common childhood concerns and help children move past them. (Graphic fantasy. 4-7)
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