Nova's Missing Masterpiece

Nova has lost her special drawing she made for her Dad’s birthday. She hunts everywhere throughout the house, ‘But Nova’s missing masterpiece was nowhere to be found.’ This line repeats after each page of Nova’s frenzied searching, building tension as the story progresses.

The language is very rich: ‘slithered, scavenged, ferreted and fished’.

Nova has a special bond with her dog, Harley, who dutifully follows her around and gives her clues for self-regulation. When Harley does a big sigh, Nova thinks ‘great idea’ and does some belly-breathing. Other calming techniques such as music and drinking water are demonstrated too.

The use of colour in the illustrations adds to the tension and suspense in the book. There is a lot of red denoting Nova’s frustration and anger, contrasting with the soothing blue/green as Nova practises her calming techniques.

The end pages include simple sketches of favourite items to be found throughout the book, adding a layer of fun.

I recommend this book for all young children learning to manage their emotions.