Quicksilver

About the Book

BlueInk Review Phillips’ picture book features a spirited girl who learns a lesson about good treatment of a pet. When four year-old Emily finds herself at loose ends, a diversion presents itself in the form of Oscar, the family cat. A broken thermometer had recently prompted Emily’s father to tell her about mercury, also known as quicksilver. Emily decides that Quicksilver would be a more suitable name for Oscar given his ability to “get through the tiniest spaces.” Emily decides to “make Quicksilver pretty” by covering his fur with Vaseline and clipping his whiskers. Serious talks with both parents alert Emily to the consequences of her actions, but in a humorous final twist, it appears that Quicksilver may not be ready to forgive. Quicksilver conveys its lesson gently, making it suitable for children who have outgrown more didactic books. Illustrations are pleasant and sometime funny especially the depiction of the cat’s first glance in the mirror at his own reflection. This book features a biracial couple. (Emily’s mother is white and her father is black.) Such families are still fairly rare in the world of picture books, so this might be a valuable addition to libraries. Author’s Current Residence Ontario, Canada

About the Author

Azelin Phillips was born in Jamaica and immigrated to Canada in 1965. A long-time member of Brampton Writers’ Workshop, Azelin’s education also includes a certificate in the psychology of human relations from Ryerson University. Azelin writes poetry, plays and short stories. Quicksilver is Azelin’s first children’s picture book. Her first novel Ice was published in 2014.