Daniel Kelly – Novel: Pat’s Problem

Pat’s Problem written by Aleda Renken and illustrated by Art Kirchoff was first published in1982. This novel was presented on behalf of a Lutheran Church as a part of a Sunday school program. The book was published by the Lutheran Church.  This novel is about a young girl called Pat. It highlights the experiences of her life as her family moves house to a new area. The story is full of the adventures of pat. The story highlights typical issues that young children might identify with such as issues of popularity and “fitting in”.

The novel is strongly influenced by the issues and struggles of living as a part of a family.  Life with siblings, parents and grandparents, and the expectations of each are central to the novel.  The novel has a half a dozen illustrations throughout. They are all very powerful and the artist implemented methods of charcoal sketching to create the images. The illustrations are particularly expressive when looking at the characters; rather they highlight a setting or place. They are important in expressing where and what. There is also a strong use of dialogue throughout the novel which is fundamental in expressing the point of view of the characters, and in particular Pat.

 

Daniel C. Kelly