Mavis and Merna

by Ian Wallace (Illustrator)

Overview

Ian Wallace has created a very beautiful book in which he explores the relationship between a young girl and a young widow.

Merna was married to the owner of Gully’s store. Located on the main street of a small town on the ocean shore, Gully’s sells everything from shoes, to wax, to matches, to rain gear. A little girl, Mavis, would like to buy everything in the store.

But when Merna’s husband suddenly dies, she holds a wake in the store, then closes it down indefinitely. Mavis’s parents speculate that Merna must have inherited a fortune. Mavis goes over to Merna’s house to see if she can spot evidence of this fortune. But instead of finding money she finds a lifelong friendship. Finally after many years, Mavis and Merna re-open Gully’s which has now become almost a museum of wonders.

This touching, gentle story of loss and the healing power of friendship and life in a small town is Ian Wallace at his finest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780888996473
Publisher:	Groundwood Books
Publication date:	03/28/2005
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.68(w) x 11.26(h) x 0.39(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

Editorial Reviews

Gr 2-4-A nostalgic trip into the time of general stores stocked with long johns, licorice whips, and fish clocks. Mavis loves everything about Gully's-the bell above the door, the plethora of unique merchandise, the comforting smells. When Joe Gully, the owner, dies and is "laid out" in the main aisle of his store, it is the end of a pleasant interlude of Mavis's childhood. But, with every end comes a beginning as the girl forges a new friendship with Joe's widow, Merna-a bond that spans many years. The store closes after Joe's death, but its doors open again unexpectedly in the story's delightful ending. A children's book that includes fatal heart attacks and coffins is unconventional, but the author handles the subject of death in a matter-of-fact fashion that young readers will find engaging. The watercolor illustrations are a real strong point as Wallace does a commendable job of capturing period details. An old-fashioned flavor permeates this unique story, as viewers wander past the storefront displays, through a "retro" living room, and up and down the aisles of the beloved general store.-Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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