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Shadow
In our old house, Ma told me there was nothing to be scared of. No monsters hiding behind doors, or in wardrobes, or under beds. She said there were no dark places at all. But in the new house, under my new bed, that's where I found Shadow.
40 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2019
100 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Christopher
14Ìýbooks2,251ÌýfollowersLucy Christopher was born in Wales but grew up in Australia. She obtained an Undergraduate degree at Melbourne University. She moved to the UK to earn a distinction in a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. The novel she wrote for this class, The Long Flight, was picked up by a publisher under a new name of FLYAWAY.
Lucy’s debut novel, Stolen, was written as part for her PhD degree. Stolen explores her thoughts on the Australian desert through the story about a teenage girl who is kidnapped and taken there.
Lucy is working on another teen novel. When she is not writing, Lucy spends her time daydreaming, emailing friends and horseback riding a mare named Topaz as well as helping to run a kid’s wildlife group at Newport Wetlands.
Lucy’s debut novel, Stolen, was written as part for her PhD degree. Stolen explores her thoughts on the Australian desert through the story about a teenage girl who is kidnapped and taken there.
Lucy is working on another teen novel. When she is not writing, Lucy spends her time daydreaming, emailing friends and horseback riding a mare named Topaz as well as helping to run a kid’s wildlife group at Newport Wetlands.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 9, 2019
Artwork is very fitting for the story which talks about a "darkness" which can be depression, grief, anxiety, etc and how it is to adjust to new things.
September 12, 2019
A young girl moves into a dusty old house where she encounters Shadow―a dark, shape-shifting figure. An interesting, effective metaphorical story relatable to fear, grief, depression, or something eother negative emotion, relating that denial is not the way to deal with one's troubles.
May 18, 2019
Striking digital artwork complements a somewhat dark story. A little girl and her mother have moved into a new house. The girl finds a new friend in Shadow while her mother seems increasingly sad and distracted and fails to see him. It appears that her mother suffers from depression or some other unnamed ailment, and the girl ends up following Shadow into the woods and getting lost. Her mother finally comes out of the house and finds her daughter. They spend plenty of time together, getting to know each other again and staving the darkness away. Although I'm not entirely sure what the book means, it's possible to surmise its meaning from the facial expressions and body language on several of the pages. It might be good to share this with youngsters to see what their reactions to the various scenes might be.
December 24, 2021
I found this to be a quiet and beautiful story about how mother and daughter are coping with grief. Suvorova’s use of texture, tiny treasure shapes, and a soft and muted color story create many layers of what this child is experiencing. There are periods of light and dark, emotions ebb and flow as they learn to make room for it. From my perspective, Shadow represents the little girl’s father, as there’s a connection between the rosy cheeks carried through Shadow, the portraits, and how the use of red is continued through the story in objects that remind her of her dad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2019
Absolutely beautiful story and illustrations. Was lucky enough to hear the author herself read the story aloud and was completely enchanted. Would highly recommend to children and adults, alike.
November 9, 2020
Dan: This is a dark and slightly unusual picture book that would be great to explore with older readers. The young girl and her mother move to a new house, where the girl finds a shadow to play with which her mother cannot see. The book’s particular use of colour is very interesting, and the text and illustrations invite discussion about what they are representing. This is potentially challenging book that has lots of room for discussion and interpretation throughout, including how the girl may be experiencing her mother’s depression throughout the story.
February 3, 2020
This was a confusing and sad story for me. A mother and her daughter move to a new house with scary shadows. Mom is also depressed and not present for her daughter. So the daughter makes friends with a shadow until it leads her to the woods. I am not sure what the message is supposed to be, but I felt sad for the family and the shadow.
March 11, 2020
For a gorgeous book about a parent with depression (and perhaps recently divorced—the text is wonderfully open) I recommend SHADOW by Lucy Christopher. It uses the metaphor of a shadow in the child’s house and has beautiful illustrations that hint at what else is going on. I feel lucky the book buyer at my local Pegasus Books in Berkeley likes to carry picture books with heavy topics.
March 23, 2020
A pretty creepy story in both word and illustration. I feel like it is supposed to represent something difficult like having a parent with mental health issues or having to deal with a painful life change, but it doesn't come out quite clear.
The Shadow feels sinister but also like a metaphor? It's hard to tell.
Feels strangely Babadook-esque
The Shadow feels sinister but also like a metaphor? It's hard to tell.
Feels strangely Babadook-esque
March 17, 2022
This book was good, but there was one illustration that caught me funny... It kind of looked like they were being strangled and that is concerning to me. The book didn't quite feel like it stuck to a continuous storyline either... which is odd for a short picture book.
December 31, 2019
Lovely illustrations. Interestingly metaphorical.
January 1, 2020
The artwork in this book was enchanting. The story is very lonely/sad until the end.
January 16, 2020
Beautifully illustrated whimsical tale about moving into a new home and encountering someone already living there.
January 18, 2020
Could be used as a mentor text for metaphors.
March 17, 2020
I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom in this book. For that reason, I did not like it very much.
May 18, 2021
Beautifully written. Prepare to cry.
January 25, 2024
There was a mysterious eerie quality to the narrative, which I liked. I think what shadow meant to the protagonist could have been developed a little more.
December 17, 2022
This is a rather spooky story, in my opinion, for little ones who might be wary of the dark and/or shadows, or have very active imaginations.
In a house new to a little girl and her mother, the child found a shadow that her mother couldn't see. Imaginative play with the shadow, and a fearful situation, and then things change in a good way for the mother and daughter. Interesting illustrations.
In a house new to a little girl and her mother, the child found a shadow that her mother couldn't see. Imaginative play with the shadow, and a fearful situation, and then things change in a good way for the mother and daughter. Interesting illustrations.
July 12, 2020
Gripping digital illustrations carry this dark and somewhat unnerving picture book. A small girl and her mother move to a new home where the child finds and befriends a shadow-friend beneath her bed. As Ma appears to succumb to distraction � and possibly depression? � the child slips away with Shadow into the woods, where darkness leaves her all alone. Ma finds her, and their walk from the forest into the light proves more than metaphorical as together they settle into all the spaces, dark and light, of their new home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
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