Review: Mrs. Nobody

Mrs. Nobody

Author: Y. S. Lee
Illustrator: Marie Lafrance

Groundwood Books Ltd, 2025

ISBN: 9781773068367 (hardcover)
9781773068374 (Kindle, Fixed Layout)
9781773068381 (EPUB, fixed)

$21.99 (hardcover)
$16.99 (Kindle, Fixed Layout)
$16.99 (EPUB, fixed)

32 pages

Ages: 3 to 6 years

Alice and Mrs. Nobody are friends who love to play games and make mischief, but they usually do what Mrs. Nobody wants. When Alice and Mrs. Nobody disagree about what game to play next, it leads to a fight, and Mrs. Nobody gives her friend the silent treatment. Alice doesn’t want to fight, but she also doesn’t want to do what Mrs. Nobody says all the time! This is a creative story about a girl learning to set boundaries and assert herself. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, with an array of (stuffed?) animals acting as silent side characters, complete with fantastical outfits and backdrops. There is an added level of visual storytelling when Alice’s clothing changes to mirror Mrs. Nobody’s marvelous fits as she asserts herself and learns to say “no”. The book’s creativity and whimsy give the impression that this story could be taking place in a kid’s imagination. Mrs. Nobody is a good addition to a public library collection.