The Money Tree by Sarah Stewart (1991) is a book I requested from the library after I read The Library by this same duo. I was so impressed by The Library that I had high expectations, but I was disappointed with the illustrations and the story. The story confused me. What is the message? Miss McGillicuddy has no idea what money looks like? And when increasing numbers of people visit her tree and walk off with its “leaves", she doesn’t talk to them? I suppose the obvious take-away is that money creates a craving in people to want more of it. But Miss McGillicuddy has no personality. Her face has a consistent look of boredom. And while the illustrations were similar to those in The Library, the same supremely clever design is absent. And, upon closer inspection, I see that Small drew only a few faces in The Library.
I also borrowed Stitches: a Memoir by David Small. It won awards as a graphic novel about “a childhood from hell”. The illustrations of people in this story were unnerving. It’s a disturbing book that, I admit, I could not finish. And then, I couldn’t unsee the creepy faces of Stitches when I read The Money Tree nor when I read Company’s Coming by Arthur Yorinks (1988).
