No Fits, Nilson! by Zachariah OHora (review)

Nilson, a big blue ape, and Amelia, a dark-haired little girl, "do everything together." Nilson, however, has a bit of a short fuse, and in the face of frustration, he often throws a tantrum that's "so big, they BOTH get a time-out." When they're out and about, Amelia and her mother see the signs of his growing frustration, promising him banana ice cream at the end of their journey; after Nilson gets the last banana flavor from the ice cream truck, however, it's Amelia who loses her cool. The use of a fantasy critter, pet, or toy as a narrative emotional proxy isn't new, but this is a solid iteration of the concept (the final page reveals the underlying truth, that Nilson is a beloved soft toy). The present-tense narration is wise about tantrum triggers (someone else having a banana when you want one too), and there's vivid immediacy as it depicts the seesaw between control and meltdown as a dialogue between Amelia and Nilson. OHora's acrylic illustrations evince a crispness of finish, smoothness of color, and strength of black line that suggests particularly lively woodcuts, and a streamlined retro palette, with an emphasis on teal (Nilson) and gold and olive (backgrounds) enhances the graphic strength. This could be an interesting counterpart to Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry . . . Really, Really Angry (BCCB 4/99) or just a way for youngsters to get a little perspective on their own frustrations.