Just One

by Sam McBratney, Ivan Bates (Illustrator)

Little Digger and Old-and-Gray, the squirrel who watches over him, have picked a lot of blackberries--too many to carry home. But when some unexpected visitors come by, too many berries soon become too few. Full color.

Genres: Animals

19 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

The 1943 born Northern Ireland native started writing children's books when he was a teacher in his thirties, with the aim of helping out students who had trouble reading. But he continued writing for a more-personal reason: "the act of imagining simply makes me feel good," he says. The fifty-seventh book of Sam McBratney's career, and his first book with Candlewick Press, was the much-loved GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, which has sold an astonishing 15 million copies worldwide, and is available in 37 languages. "This is not the sort of thing you expect when most of your books have been remaindered," the author admits. "But, as the frog trapped in the milk discovered, if you keep going, sometimes you find yourself walking on cream cheese."

Where does Sam McBratney get his inspiration? "I told my children stories when they were young," he says, "so when I write I try to think of what they would have liked." But there may be another source guiding his writing as well. The author's father--who worked as a type compositor with the BELFAST TELEGRAPH, and whose favorite books were westerns--is the person Sam McBratney credits for giving him his love of the English language. "Most of my picture books--GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, JUST ONE!, and JUST YOU AND ME--explore the relationship between a big one and a wee one," the author notes. "The big one is not called the father in the stories, but that's what he is. Although my dad died before I became a writer, the father in my stories has a voice and a presence that he would have recognized and understood."

In addition to authoring many books for children, Sam McBratney wrote radio plays for adults and a prize-winning collection of short stories. He received a degree in history and political science from Trinity College, Dublin, and worked for many years as a teacher.

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is nice and has a simple story. It is definitely hard to have only some of anything delicious you enjoy, as these animals all experience. It ends before it seems resolved though. Can they get more tomorrow??? What a cliffhanger! ;) (Actually could be good to discuss with your child what the characters can do the next time to avoid the same problem.)

[Teresa Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story and cute drawings.

STory is about 2 squirrels who pick a pile of berries and one leaves to get a big container and the one left to watch it shares with all the other animals who come by .

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candlewick Press of course.

[Lesley Dahlseng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two hungry squirrels, little Digger and Old-and-Gray, have been busy picking blackberries. All their hard work rewards them with the biggest pile of blackberries that little Digger has ever seen, so big that Old-and-Gray sets off to find a way to carry them home. Little Digger is left in charge. "Don't eat too many - just a few," instructs Old-and-Gray.

Who can blame a cute little squirrel for trying just a few blackberries? The problem is when a mouse passerby asks for a few as well, and if mouse is allowed a few, then shouldn't duck and baby rabbit also be welcomed? . . . and it seems only right that little Digger should partake of a few more along with each new passerby. Upon his return, Old-and-Gray discovers four blackberry-stained critters and JUST ONE blackberry remaining.

There's no need for words after this. Sam McBratney brilliantly sets up the story and Ivan Bates carries home the message with the tell-tale expressions of wrong-doing within the illustrations. The lesson needs no more explanation, and that is a sign of an excellent children's book! Granted, whether it was little Digger or Old-and-Gray that learned the greater lesson, that may be debatable!