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*The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley* by Colin Thomspon, illustrated by Amy Lissiat
The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley
by Colin Thomspon, illustrated by Amy Lissiat
Ages 4-8 32 pages Kane/Miller September 2007 Hardcover    

Huh? I am a huge advocate of teaching children valuable lessons through the use of books and their characters. However, I am not sure I want to torment any young child by comparing the lives of humans to the lives of rats—and concluding that the rats have a better deal. Yes, this is the premise of The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley which tells readers that life is depressing because “realizing rats have a better life than you do is really, really sad.”

The authors introduce Riley, a rat who is happy with simple things (like a bit of fruit), then contrast him with humans who want “double-fudge-chocolate-caviar-sausage-gourmet-jumbo-size-baby-cow-sheep-chicken-with-extra-thick-whipped-cream-and-msg-sauce-burgers,” which are not only gross and cruel but unhealthy. From there, readers learn that Riley only needs a small backscratcher to be content, while humans collect all of sorts of technological equipment they do not need. Riley is also pleased with his appearance, as opposed to humans who are never satisfied with their looks.

It is not surprising we learn that Riley is perfectly content nesting in a small shoe while humans are constantly traveling to exotic places and are never happy with where they are or where they are headed. Riley is also lucky enough to fall in love one time, for life, while humans fall in and out of love after a month and wonder “what-i-ever-saw-in-him/her-my-wife/husband/partner/dog-doesn’t-understand-me-do-you-come-here-often-anyone-everyone-in-the-world.”

The book concludes by stating that those who eat unhealthy food, spend time with people they do not want to be with, and go places where they do not want to go end up living long, long lives. In contrast, rats like Riley, who enjoy the simple things in life, usually live a very short time. It is this irony, according to the authors, that should cause humans to become depressed because we are not only miserable, but live a long time.

The vibrant illustrations in this book are what attracted me to it in the first place, and they are actually a wonderful complement to the message being delivered. However, I do not want young readers to see a scantily clad woman who wants to be loved or an overweight and unkempt man watching a baby gorge on junk food any more than I want to teach a child that rats live pristine lives.

Yes, of course, I understand the message and the satire the book intends to present. Perhaps if I were told the book is directed at a more mature audience I would appreciate it more, but this is a children’s book, for children, and not one that I would be eager to share.
 


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