This is one of those books I wish came out years ago. Not because the material is less relevant now, but because it’s a story I wish my younger self could have read.
Over-Scheduled Andrew stars an all-too-eager chickadee who must face the consequences that come with making too many commitments. The story is to-the-point without being plain, and considered in its straightforwardness. And for a book about a frantic lifestyle, it certainly flows well. No time is wasted as the story begins in media res, establishing from the first page that Andrew is a fun-loving, relatable character with a passion for the arts — specifically, drama. Andrew sees the need to develop his craft and proceeds to involve himself in all manner of training exercises to become a better performer. But at some point, things get out of hand.
The book lives up to its claims in the way of humor, as Andrew’s mismanaged escapades lead to some unexpectedly funny results. The back-half especially made me chuckle a few times. While the writing could have just as easily worked without it, the author runs a thread of friendship along the base of it, which ultimately serves as an impetus when the antics peak.
Given the easy-to-predict plot, I found the resolution surprisingly refreshing in that the journey doesn’t come full circle with an obvious takeaway. There’s still a neat wrap-up by the end, but the story respectably goes beyond the basic ideas without trying to do too many things at once.
Lessons on learning to say “no” and recognizing one’s limits are left for the reader to glean, rather than being spelled out in words. Most commendably, there’s not a heavy reliance on typography to sell either the humor or the hectic nature of the affair; this is instead left to the approachable illustration work, and it accomplishes this with clarity.
While the book is intended for kids ages 4-8, Over-Scheduled Andrew has enough charm to entertain older readers too. In sum, the cohesive, balanced treatment makes for a memorable read.
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