Paula Knows What to Do

Finished April 28
Paula Knows What to Do by Sanne Dufft

This lovely picture book uses two styles of drawing, one to tell the story, and one to show the drawings that Paula makes, bringing them together in wonderful ways.
Paula is a young girl who is very resourceful. When she awakens one morning and her father isn't up to greet her and she's waited a while, she gets up and begins drawing pictures for him. But he still doesn't get up. When she goes to check on him, he tells her he is sad, and agrees when she asks if it is because her mother is gone. But Paula takes charge, getting out paints and paper and drawing an adventure that draws on one of her mother's favourite activities, sailing. As the adventure progresses, she gets her father involved, and when her story is over, some of his sadness has lifted.
I loved how the drawings tied into the bed covering, and how the sense of adventure that Paula instigated brought energy into the story. A great book to use to begin discussions of loss and grief.