Just in Case

Author: Judith Viorst
Publication Date: 2006
Type of Book: Picture Book

Just in Case is about a little boy named Charlie. Charles is always prepared for anything that could happen. He comes up with a plan for just about any situation that he could think of and most of the situations are very unrealistic. Charlie feels that it is always better to be prepared just in case. The story goes through the different situations that Charlie may encounter and how he has prepared for them. The story ends with Charlie being surprised by his friends for his birthday and he is not prepared. He learns that even though he likes to be prepared and ready for situations, sometimes it is okay if you aren't.

I thought that this book was written in a way that shows just how creative children can be. Throughout this book I liked reading about all of the different situations Charlie thought he would experience and the unique ways he prepared for them. I thought that the various scenarios did a good job of incorporating humor into the story. Most of the situations that Charlie prepared for were very silly and ones that children would find funny. I also really liked how the author didn't just use one font for the whole story. Different words throughout the book were written smaller or larger or in a completely different font. It helped bring the writing to life and make it more animated as you read it aloud. One thing that was different about this book was the message. There were really two messages hidden in this story. The big message is that it is okay not to be prepared all of the time and that you can't always be ready for everything. The second message that you discover on the last page was that it is okay to be yourself. Charlie was a person who liked to be prepared and ready for different things life could throw at him. The author made it a point to emphasize the importance of having a balance. It is okay that Charlie was a very prepared person but it is also important for him to know that you can't always be prepared. This sends a really positive message to both children and adults. It reminds us that you should always embrace and love who you're, but also be open to the idea that things may not always go how you want or planned and that it is okay.

I would recommend this book for parents and teachers to read to students in middle to upper elementary school. The lesson presented is a little too complex for students in lower elementary school and they may not be able to connect to it. I would still recommend it being used as a read aloud or used in a way that afterwards the class can have discussions about the book and together discuss the meaning.

Image References:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/just-case-1#cart/cleanup