Oh, Tal! Not Today. by Tal Anderson (Author) and Michael Richey White (Illustrator)
This review first appeared on Reader Views. Read the Reader Views Kids version here.
Tal and her cat Winnie have their own way of doing things. Throughout Oh, Tal! Not Today. by Tal Anderson readers will see how she does things and how Tal’s parents are initially frustrated with her seemingly chaotic actions and choices. However, Tal’s parents eventually see her true and wonderful intentions behind everything she did and every mess she may have made.
Author Tal Anderson and illustrator Michael Richey White met while working on the Netflix comedy-drama series, Atypical. Both Anderson and White wanted to create media that reflected them and their experiences as people with autism. Through Oh, Tal! Not Today. this team tells the story of a fictional Tal who is ultimately trying to work on a surprise for her parents but is being misunderstood all along the way.
Anderson and White’s stated goal of sharing stories of characters who may think differently than others comes through in both text and image. Together, this team has crafted a story featuring a character who clearly thinks and acts differently than expected, but readers will see in the end that there was thoughtful intent behind everything Tal did. The images also help guide readers along in this journey as they clearly show a shift in perspective when needed.
Oh, Tal! Not Today. also encourages those who interact with people who think differently than them to not make assumptions about someone’s intentions just because they are acting differently than anticipated. This especially comes through by the end of Oh, Tal! Not Today. For the first and larger portion of the book, readers see Tal’s parents’ perspectives on Tal’s actions, but in the end, we see Tal’s perspective and goal and thus Tal is better understood.
White’s illustrations are atmospheric and depict a happy childhood. They have texture, detail, and a playfulness to them. These help in keeping with the overall lighthearted tone of the book as well as the intended audience. There are enough details to explore, especially the inclusion of popular children’s books throughout.
Oh, Tal! Not Today. is a thoughtful and delightful picture book for children aged 2 to 7. Author and illustrator team Anderson and White successfully created a story that they may have wished for when they were kids: one that features someone like them. The text and images work well together to share the insightful nature of this book.
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