Into the Uncut Grass - Trevor Noah - ★★★★.¼

AUTHOR & NARRATOR: Trevor Noah

ILLUSTRATOR: Sabina Hahn

GENRE: Illustrated Novel

PUBLICATION DATE: October 8, 2024

RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A illustrated chapter book with two interesting characters and a fable-style narrative. A nice mix of realism and fantasy. Loved the writing and the characters. Adored the thought-provoking bits of wisdom. I wish the ending had extended at least a couple of pages further, but even as is, this is a beautiful book for all, especially but not only for a joint parent-child reading session.

Plot Preview:

A young boy is tired of the routine chores his mom forces him to do everyday. So when he wakes up one bright Saturday morning, he makes a special plan ‘before chores ruin this special day.’ He takes his best friend – Walter, his teddy bear – and decides to run away from home into the uncut grass beyond his house yard. Walter tries his best to dissuade the boy, but the boy is determined to ‘be free’. What happens next?

Most of you would certainly have heard of South African comedian and host Trevor Noah. His shows are funny, but if you have read his memoir ‘Born a Crime’, you would know that underneath that light-hearted façade, he incorporates deep thoughts and feelings. Even when he hosted ‘The Daily Show’, his views were balanced between comedic and serious, both at the same time. He now extends this duality of thought to this illustrated chapter book.

The book begins with an author’s note, offering a background into the conception of and intention for this story. The write-up is a bit too detailed for younger kids, but adults will be able to appreciate it better. He states that it is not a children’s book but for a book for parents and children to explore together, but that it can work even if you aren’t a parent or a child.

I found it striking that the book was inspired by conflicts between Noah and his mother during his childhood. It made me wonder if the story would be negative in approach, or if it might support a child’s view against parental dominance or strictness. After all, parents (at least traditional ones) feel duty-bound to ensure that their children follow certain rules, which children obviously don’t understand or appreciate. However, Noah handles the delicate topic skilfully, beginning with a “conflict”, highlighting the thought process of the protagonist with many valid reasons, offering the counter-rationale through Walter the bear, and ending on a note of hope. What I loved most of all is that the book isn't biased towards parent or child. It presents a balanced narrative, even though the boy’s mother is never an active part of the plot.

This doesn’t mean that the book is just about parent-child conflicts. With some talking animals, magical beings, and animated objects, the book adds a good dollop of fantasy to what might otherwise have been a serious topic. Each chapter contains a new adventure with unexpected characters and thought-provoking life lessons. This, combined with Walter’s sage comments, ensures that the book offers plenty to reflect upon, both for adults and for children.

The unnamed boy and his teddy Walter easily won my heart. Their connection might remind you of Calvin and Hobbes, with less naughtiness and more witty introspection. Walter is really wise, the voice of reason against the boy’s rebellious heart.

As a rule (Oh, the irony of using the word for this story!), I don’t like books that show child characters running away from home. But this book handles the situation perfectly! The boy’s impulsive decision is nicely counterbalanced by his later uncertainty and Walter’s practical advice. I just wish the ending had offered better completion. It does stop on a positive note, with realisation (and hunger) dawning, but it stops at the plan than on the subsequent action. To see their actual return home and an acceptance that rules exist for a reason would have elevated the story further.

The text seems to cater to the purpose of the book well. There are some tough words, but as this isn't meant to be a children’s book, these words could easily be explained to kids by their older reading partners. There is tremendous feeling behind the prose. Whether joy or annoyance or frustration or patience, every emotion comes across beautifully through the text as well as the illustrations. There are also plenty of quotable quotes: some funny, some wise. Sample this amazing line: “The day should start when I wake up. I should not have to wake up to start the day.” Yes, please! 😄

The illustrations complement the text well and even enhance the impact of the words. There is so much energy in the graphics! You can almost feel the animation behind each illustration.

My library also had the audiobook version, clocking at 39 minutes and narrated by the author himself. I read the two versions separately to get a better feel of each format. I was anyway reading the digital text in Trevor Noah’s voice. So I thought the audio version would be even better. Much to my surprise, it fell a bit flat. Noah is a great reader, as expected, and he uses his acting experience well while emoting the fun parts. But his choice of voice for both the boy and Walter didn’t match what was in my head. Further, many scenes felt drab without the accompanying art. My suggestion: Don’t choose the audiobook unless you also have the print/digital edition because the impact of the story hinges more on the illustrations.

Overall, I enjoyed the digital version, with its loveable characters, impactful storyline, and thought-inducing morals. There is a lot of wisdom in this gem, a wisdom of the kind that many of us need to remember and implement in this chaotic, conflict-ridden world. The author is right: this is a picture book for all ages. I am sure parents will smile through this and I hope that many children will understand why we impose rules on them when we ourselves don’t like too many rules.

Definitely recommended. This would be a great option for ages 5+.

This was a library read.