Review - Imagine That

Imagine That (Hoot & Olive)
by Jonathan D. Voss
Date: 2019
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Beloved characters Hoot and Olive return in this beautiful picture book about imagination, rainy day adventures, and the spirit of friendship.

Olive is a little girl with a big, bright imagination. Hoot is her stuffed-animal owl…and her best friend. The two love adventures of all sorts. But on the rainiest of days, there is only one thing to do: stay inside and imagine a whole new world.

Just as they’re about to begin their adventure, Hoot makes a shocking discovery—his imagination is broken! Like the best of best friends, Olive comes up with some ideas to help him. But nothing is working: not the head unscrambler, the earmuffs, or the hypnosis. Just as the two are about to give up, Olive remembers the secret ingredient to imagination, and they give it one more try.

Fans of Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin, George and Martha, and Frog and Toad are certain to fall in love with the next adventure in the Hoot & Olive series.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the second book about Hoot and Olive, and I actually like it even better than the first! While Brave Enough for Two was about bravery and friendship, Imagine That is about imagination and perseverance.

On a rainy day, Olive and Hoot decide to imagine themselves an adventure. The only problem is, Hoot can't seem to do it. His imagination appears to be missing. Olive tries various ways to help him (including, hilariously, equipping him with a colander hat as an imagination antenna). But nothing works, and Hoot gets discouraged... until Olive reminds him that imagination requires a very important component...

The illustrations here are adorable. Olive's attempts to help Hoot with his imagination issues have him looking like a deranged alien moth. Voss also somehow manages to make a simply drawn stuffed animal have amazing facial expressions.

I really like this series! There are only two books so far, but I hope there will be more to come. Hoot and Olive are too cute.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5