Review - Once Upon a Forest

Once Upon a Forest
by Pam Fong
Date: 2022
Publisher: Random House Studio
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

This gorgeous picture book follows a helpful marmot working to save a forest recovering after a wildfire. Perfect for teaching children to practice kindness while developing an appreciation for animals and the earth.

After a fire leaves the forest smoldering, a determined marmot and her resourceful bird friend set off on a rescue mission in this beautifully illustrated, wordless story.

They clear away fallen branches and scorched bushes. They rake and dig and plant new seedlings in the earth. With determination and ingenuity, as the seasons pass, they care for the little trees by making sure they have enough water, protect their branches from the wind and snow, and keep away hungry creatures, until the trees can thrive on their own.

With a little time, care, and hope we all can help the earth.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sometimes a wordless picture book is a nice change of pace. Just relax and let the pictures tell the story. Once Upon a Forest is the tale of a marmot who lives in a cute little log cabin (with her bird friend living in their own house just outside the front door). One day, they see smoke and witness a wildfire in the distance. So they pack up some seedling, tools, and supplies and head down there, only to discover the charred remains of a patch of forest. They plant the seedlings, then keep them safe through the seasons until they're strong enough to stand on their own. Finally they head home, having helped one little patch of the world heal.

The illustrations are cute but simple, done in black and white with only a few touches of colour (mostly green). The story is clearly conveyed, even without words.

Overall, this is a cute little book with sweet characters and a nice message. I'd recommend it to fans of wordless picture books, as well as to those looking for books with themes about conservation and the environment.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.8 out of 5

Review - Why?

Why?
by Nikolai Popov
Date: 1995
Publisher: minedition
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A frog finds a beautiful flower and picks it for himself. When a mouse sees him with it, his jealousy overcomes him, and he swipes it. Frog’s friends come to his aid and chase the mouse away. But before the frogs can celebrate, Mouse’s friends return for a counter-attack. Before long the conflict has devolved into a full-scale frog-mouse war. By the end of it, all either side can ask is: why? This seemingly simple book tackles an important subject and will be an invaluable way to talk to young children about conflict and warfare.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book has been around for decades, yet I can't recall ever hearing about it. It's a wordless picture book featuring a frog who's just minding his own business when a greedy mouse comes along and steals his flower. Things escalate from there as both recruit their friends to participate in battles that leave the landscape scarred. Nobody wins.

The allegory is clear and can probably be understood even by very young children. The illustrations are almost luminous, showing the ingenuity with which the critters come up with ways to destroy one another. If only they'd put their talents to use in a more constructive way!

It's kind of a sad book, but it carries an important message.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Review - One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey

One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey
by Henry Cole
Date: 2020
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

A wordless book that starts from a tall tree growing in the forest-
to the checkout counter at the grocery store-
one brown bag finds its way into the hands of a young boy on the eve of his first day of school.

And so begins the journey of one brown bag that is used
and re-used
and re-used again.

In a three-generation family, the bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved brown bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Somehow, Henry Cole is able to tell a story without any words at all. This is the story of a paper bag as it travels through the generations of one family, gathering love until it finally comes full circle and returns to its place of origin.

The detailed illustrations are lovely, and the paper bag--set off in brown--is the main character in this unique picture book. It starts out being a vessel for a little boy's lunch, but its uses become more varied as the boy grows up and has a family of his own.

The story is sweet enough (it put me in mind of the opening sequence of the movie Up, though it's not nearly as sad), but the author's note at the end, where he talks about his own well-loved paper bag, is icing on the cake. The whole thing is a wonderful message about using things that still have life left in them; there's no reason to throw out a lot of the things we do.

I'd recommend this book to pretty much everyone. The wordless format means that even young children can watch the story unfold on their own.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.6 out of 5

Review - At the Pond

At the Pond
by Geraldo Valério
Date: 2020
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

On a dull gray day, a boy puts his dog on a leash and they walk to a shimmering pond where snowy white swans swim freely. One of the swans invites the boy and dog for a ride. They climb on its back and sail into a stunningly beautiful landscape, dotted with wildflowers, spoonbills and ibises. Foxes, rabbits and deer appear in this paradise, then butterflies and even bigger, more beautiful flowers. The boy unleashes his dog on shore, and the dog bounds off to play.

Now the boy wraps his arms around the swan’s neck — he has a new friend. But when he puts the leash on the swan, the sky turns stormy gray, the water becomes turbulent, and the other swans fly away. Both the boy and swan are miserable, until the boy realizes he must free his friend. When he drops the leash into the pond, warm color fills their world and they return to where the boy’s dog happily awaits him.

Geraldo Valério, a master of wordless picture books, explores the nature of true friendship and love in his newest creation.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I enjoy wordless picture books when they're done well. I'm not sure what it was about this one, though, that made me not enjoy it that much. I get the story. It would be fun to sit down with a kid and have them narrate the story to you. But... something just didn't excite me here. Maybe it's the illustrations. They're colourful and engaging, but they're also kind of rough. I guess that's just not my preferred style.

This is a fantasy story, with a message about letting wild things remain free. It's not bad; it's just not my cup of tea.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.4 out of 5

Review - Pancakes for Breakfast

Pancakes for Breakfast
by Tomie dePaola
Date: 1978
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

This wordless picture book follows the trials of a little old lady who attempts to make pancakes for her breakfast. “The optimistic determination of the woman and the gentle humor of the illustrations make this an appealing book for the very young.”--School Library Journal

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Wow. Those are some labour-intensive pancakes.

I probably read this book at some point during my childhood (it's almost as old as me!) but I don't really remember it. It's a wordless picture book in which a woman wakes up with a hankering for pancakes. So she gets out her cookbook, only to realize that she's missing a few ingredients. She gathers some eggs, milks a cow, churns some butter, and buys some maple syrup... only to find that her housemates have been very naughty in her absence. The book ends amusingly with the old lady imposing on some bewildered neighbours.

This book is suitable even for very young children, as there's nothing to read (except the recipe). Readers can make up their own words as they work their way through the charming illustrations.

Overall, this is one I would recommend, despite its age. It's cute and amusing, and leaves one hungry for pancakes!

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Review - The Egg

The Egg
by Geraldo Valério
Date: 2020
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

The Egg is an imaginative and unusual story about a bird and a child, and how they become a family. The wordless story opens with a crane caring lovingly for an egg. During a storm, a gust of wind blows the egg from its nest. Despite searching far and wide, the crane can’t find the lost egg anywhere. Heartbroken, the crane spots something―an egg! Not its own, but since this egg is also alone, the crane rescues it to safety.

When the egg hatches, the little one inside is―unexpectedly―a human baby. No matter their differences, the crane loves and cares for the child, adopting it into an avian life. When they take flight together, this unusual duo encounters other birds with their young ones―the babies all a diverse array of creatures, showing that families come in all shapes and sizes.

This whimsical story is open to interpretation and imagination, but above all imparts the message that a loving family can be whatever we make it.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is one of those books that leaves you scratching your head. Not because it's difficult to understand... but because you're just not quite sure what to make of it.

In wordless paper collage, The Egg tells the story of a large bird who loses an egg during a storm. While searching, they find something that looks like their egg... but which actually turns out to be a swaddled baby. Undeterred, the bird raises the human baby as their own.

That's all weird enough, but in the final pages, we see all kinds of birds with their adopted children: a toucan with a rabbit (or maybe it's an aardvark); a flamingo with a little girl; a parrot with a pig; and, rather hilariously, a pelican with a goldfish (in a bowl). I'm not sure what the reader is supposed to take from this. Birds are kidnappers? The "families come in all shapes and sizes" message is almost obscured by the absurdity of the pairings.

No matter. This is probably one of those books that you'll either love or roll your eyes at. It does manage to tell the story clearly without any words at all, which I admire. And the cut-paper illustrations are fun to look at. Overall, this is a strange little book... but one that I'm sure has an audience somewhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 2.8 out of 5

Review - The Paper Boat

The Paper Boat
by Thao Lam
Date: 2020
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

In The Paper Boat, Thao’s signature collage art tells the wordless story of one family’s escape from Vietnam―a journey intertwined with an ant colony’s parallel narrative.

At her home in Vietnam, a girl rescues ants from the sugar water set out to trap them. Later, when the girl’s family flees war-torn Vietnam, ants lead them through the moonlit jungle to the boat that will take them to safety. Before boarding, the girl folds a paper boat from a bun wrapper and drops it into the water, and the ants climb on. Their perilous journey, besieged by punishing weather, predatory birds, and dehydration, before reaching a new beginning, mirrors the family’s own.

Impressionistic collages and a moving, Own Voices narrative make this a one-of-a-kind tale of courage, resilience, and hope.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I thought I would like this one more than I did. I think I was thrown by the narrative with the ants; you really only get the significance of that after you read the author's note.

This is a wordless picture book, illustrated with cut-paper collage, that details the escape and journey of a family of refugees fleeing Vietnam in the 1970s. The story is easy enough to follow... up to a point. After the little girl drops a piece of paper, the ants climb on and go on their own journey... which involves vicious seagulls and a lot of drowning. I guess the idea was to use the ants instead of people for the more graphic aspects of the story. But it's still pretty dark.

The book doesn't really work without a reading of the author's note at the end, which I'm not crazy about; I think picture books should be able to get their message across without too much explanation.

The collages are okay, but I'm not really a fan of the spare style. The bleakness of some of the panels works, given the subject matter, but I didn't think there was enough of a contrast (at least colour-wise) between the panels that depicted the refugees' flight and the ones that showed them safe in their new home.

Overall, this is a decent refugee story, and would probably work best in a classroom setting where more discussion about the topic can follow. I'm not sure if kids would get a lot out of it if they just flipped through it on their own (especially if they didn't bother reading the author's note at the end).

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.6 out of 5

Review - Window

Window
by Marion Arbona
Date: 2020
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

In this wordless picture book, extraordinary things are happening behind the windows of the city.

A young girl is walking home from school in a big city. As she gazes up at window after window in the buildings on her route - each one a different shape and size - she imagines what might be going on behind them. By opening the gatefold, readers will get to see inside her imagination. An indoor jungle. A whale in a bathtub. Vampires playing badminton.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a nice little wordless picture book that shows a little girl imagining what's going on behind all the windows she sees as she walks home.

The black-and-white illustrations are detailed and interesting, and tell a story fairly well without using any words at all. I read this as an e-book, however, and it definitely doesn't work as well as it probably does as a paper book. Each spread really needs to be viewed in its entirety, and it looks like there are flaps to lift to reveal the different scenes hiding behind each window. (There are just some features that e-books can't replicate.)

If you can find a paper copy of this, I'd recommend taking a look. As wordless picture books go, it's fairly strong, and kids will have fun seeing the imaginative scenes lurking behind each of the varied windows.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.4 out of 5

Review - Another

Another
by Christian Robinson
Date: 2019
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 56
Format: e-book
Source: library

In his eagerly anticipated debut as author-illustrator, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honoree Christian Robinson brings young readers on a playful, imaginative journey into another world.

What if you…
encountered another perspective?
Discovered another world?
Met another you?

What might you do?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Another is a wordless picture book that details the adventures of a young girl who follows her cat through a portal into a world where everybody has a double.

It's fun to look at. The illustrations, done with a combination of painting and collage, are colourful and engaging. The children depicted are diverse.

But... this didn't wow me. I got the story, but it seemed a little sparse. The interaction between the girl and her double seemed almost like an afterthought; I thought more could've been done with that. Wordless picture books often tug on my heartstrings. This one didn't have much of an emotional impact at all, really.

It's definitely a nice book for representing lots of different kids. And it might make a nice winding-down book for bedtime. Other than that, though, I'm afraid I found this one a little forgettable.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.2 out of 5

Review - Stormy

Stormy
by Guojing
Date: 2019
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

From the creator of the New York Times best-illustrated children's book award winner The Only Child, comes a gorgeous and moving wordless picture book that's perfect for dog lovers.

In this heartwarming, wordless picture book that's perfect for dog lovers, a woman visits a park and discovers a pup hiding under a bench--scruffy, scared, and alone. With gentle coaxing, the woman tries to befriend the animal, but the dog is too scared to let her near. Day after day, the woman tries--and day after day, the dog runs away. With perseverance and patience--and help from an enticing tennis ball--a tentative friendship begins. But it's not until a raging storm forces the two together that a joyous and satisfying friendship takes hold. Guojing poignantly explores how trust doesn't always come easily, but how, over time, and with kindness and determination, forever love can grow.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Stormy should warm even the coldest heart. Dog lovers are going to be hit particularly hard by this one, though. It's hard not to love this sweet story about a lonely little dog and a girl who has a lot of love to give.

Like The Only Child (which I read earlier this year), Stormy is told entirely without words. Guojing's illustrations are such that no words are necessary. The story unfolds at a natural pace, and the illustrated panels show the hesitant development of a relationship. The little dog is skittish and won't let anyone come near. But the girl is persistent. She brings a ball to the park and tries to engage the dog in a game of fetch. It doesn't exactly work, and the girl has to leave yet again. One night, the dog follows her home and gets caught in a storm. She doesn't realize this, and goes looking for it at the park. Will their paths cross? (I'm sure you can guess the answer, based on the book's subtitle. Still, watching the two grow closer is delightful to watch.)

The pictures are breathtaking. The little dog is charming, and Guojing has perfectly captured its emotions in the soft-looking illustrations. Unlike the pictures in The Only Child, these ones are in full colour. I had a hard time choosing which one I wanted to include in my review; there are so many beautiful ones that highlight this relationship of patience, perseverance, and love.

It's amazing how so much emotion and story can be conveyed without any words at all. I can't wait to see what Guojing does next.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Spot & Dot

Spot & Dot (Spot the Cat #2)
by Henry Cole
Date: 2019
Publisher: Little Simon
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

From beloved author-illustrator Henry Cole comes the stunning follow-up to Spot, the Cat. In this beautiful wordless picture book, Spot the cat finds a dog named Dot who’s off on her own adventure through the city!

In Henry Cole’s vivid wordless picture book Spot, the Cat, readers joined Spot on a journey through a city that began with him following a bird outside his window.

This time, a dog named Dot draws Spot from his window. As we follow Spot and Dot on their wordless journey, we quickly realize that it’s Dot the dog who is missing this time, and Spot is trying to get her back home. We follow these two on a different journey through the city as they weave in and out of a bakery, a library, a busy park, and more. And with a surprise twist at the end, we realize that “home” for both cat and dog was never very far away.

With detailed black-and-white illustrations, readers will love following Spot and Dot on their adventure and cheering for the sweet reunion at the end.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This wordless picture book almost has a Where's Waldo? vibe to it. The detailed black-and-white illustrations have so much to look at, besides the dog and cat who are running through each picture. While the story is fairly basic, the book is fun to peruse. Can you pick out Spot and Dot as they make their way through the city?

I don't know what else I can say about this one. For a wordless picture book, it's done fairly well. If you like seek-and-find illustrations, you might like this book, too. Now I'm kind of curious about the first book in the series...

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Review - The Only Child

The Only Child
by Guojing
Date: 2015
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 112
Format: hardcover
Source: library

A little girl—lost and alone—follows a mysterious stag deep into the woods, and, like Alice down the rabbit hole, she finds herself in a strange and wondrous world. But... home and family are very far away. How will she get back there?

In this magnificently illustrated—and wordless—masterpiece, debut artist Guojing brilliantly captures the rich and deeply-felt emotional life of a child, filled with loneliness and longing as well as love and joy.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book may be over 100 pages long, but it's easy to get through in just a few minutes. In spite of that, it has a very well-defined story, all told in hazy black-and-white images.

It reminds me more of a graphic novel than a picture book, due to the panels. There's no text at all (except for a couple of words on objects).

The story is about a little girl who's left home alone. She gets bored and decides to go see her grandmother. She leaves a note for her parents, takes her umbrella, and gets on a bus. But the bus leaves her in the middle of nowhere, and the girl, lost and frightened, follows a deer into the woods. The deer becomes her friend for the rest of the magical journey, and eventually helps reunite the child with her family.

The soft, black-and-white drawings perfectly capture the mood of the story. There's light and darkness, friendship and loneliness, joy and fear. And it doesn't hurt that the illustrations are just so darn cute.

I'd recommend this one to fans of picture books, as well as those who like graphic novels. Because of the lack of text, it can even be enjoyed by younger readers. Now I'd like to see what else Guojing has done, because this book has really made me curious!

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: n/a
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)

The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)
by Patrick McDonnell
Date: 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Bestselling and award-winning artist Patrick McDonnell uses the ABC's to tell a hilarious, high-energy alphabetical adventure.

It starts with an ALLIGATOR and a BEAR chasing a CAT. When a DRAGON (and a chicken and an egg!) join in pursuit, things start to get REALLY interesting. A wild and wacky chase through snow and ice, and to jungles and over mountaintops, leads the whole crew to a wonderful realization: They're better off as friends.

From New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Honor recipient Patrick McDonnell comes an exciting new take on the alphabet book for everyone who has ever wondered what's just beyond the front door.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Alphabet books (like counting books) can be hit or miss. This one, however, somehow manages to be both an alphabet book and a decent story, all without using any words at all.

The little red cat runs out of his house and into the world where he meets an alligator, a bear, a chicken... and then a dragon! The chase begins. Soon, the little red cat and his new companions are off on an adventure across the world.

Each page has a letter in both upper and lowercase, and though there's no accompanying text, it's relatively easy to see what the letter stands for (figuring it out will be part of the fun of reading this one for the first time). There's also a key in the back, just in case kids can't figure any of the letters out. I like well-done wordless picture books, so this one is right up my alley.

The style of illustration is familiar, so I've probably seen the MUTTS comic strip at some point. It's a simple style, but it works here to show the little red cat and his companions off on their grand adventure.

If you're looking for alphabet books, this would be a nice one to have in your collection. You don't even need to be able to read to be able to follow the story, which is a bonus for very young readers.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Review - A Boy and a House

A Boy and a House
by Maja Kastelic
Date: 2018
Publisher: Annick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

What will the little boy find at the top of the stairs?

When a little boy sees a cat slip into the open door of an apartment building, the temptation is too great: he follows the cat into the lobby. Before continuing up the stairway, the boy picks up one of several discarded drawings that litter the floor.

Another open door awaits. Again, the boy follows the cat, this time into an apartment filled with books and toys. No one is there, but a table set for tea testifies to the fact that someone has been there recently. More drawings are scattered throughout, which the boy picks up one by one. With his pile of sketches in hand, he continues up several more staircases until he reaches an attic where a wonderful surprise awaits him.

The stunning illustrations in this wordless book invite the reader into a mysterious world that evokes the beauty of the past. Drawn by the light radiating from every open doorway, the boy lets his curiosity take him on an amazing journey of discovery, which young readers can elaborate with their own versions of the story.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sometimes a book is so good and yet so uncomfortable at the same time that it's really difficult to rate. A Boy and a House is an aesthetically pleasing wordless picture book that made me intensely uncomfortable, even while I appreciated the artwork. Why? Because the dingy colour palette, combined with the subject matter, made me really fear for the child. This appears to be a European title, and I get the feeling that Europeans aren't quite as worried about child luring and abductions as North Americans are. The little boy following a trail of mysterious drawings into the bowels of a house--unaccompanied, and at night, no less--felt uncomfortably like he was being lured to me. (Yes, the explanation and ending are innocent enough, but that doesn't erase the discomfort I felt the whole time I was "reading" this.)

The illustrations are cute, and there's plenty to look at in every picture (including some unexpected surprises). Perhaps if the setting had been more fantasy-like and less real-world urban, I wouldn't have had such a visceral reaction to the thought of a tiny boy trespassing in a nearly abandoned building all by himself.

Quotable moment:

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Draw the Line

Draw the Line
by Kathryn Otoshi
Date: 2017
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

When two boys draw their own lines and realize they can connect them together--magic happens!

But a misstep causes their lines to get crossed.

Push! Pull! Tug! Yank!
Soon their line unravels into an angry tug-of-war.

With a growing rift between them, will the boys ever find a way to come together again?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

It amazes me sometimes how much of a story can be written without a single word. This adorable book tells the story of two little boys whose playtime turns into an argument. The boys themselves are drawn nicely enough, but what really made the illustrations for me was the abstract watercolour in the backgrounds. It perfectly captures the moods of the boys as they work their way through playfulness, annoyance, anger, and eventually reconciliation.

The simple concept of a drawn line is used to perfection. It works better here than it did in another wordless picture book I read recently called Lines by Suzy Lee. I had much more of an emotional investment in Draw the Line, perhaps because there was an actual story here.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Lines

Lines
by Suzy Lee
Date: 2017
Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

It starts with a line. Whether made by the tip of a pencil or the blade of a skate, the magic starts there.

And magic once again flows from the pencil and imagination of internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee. With the lightest of touches, this masterwork blurs the lines between real and imagined, reminding us why Lee's books have been lauded around the world, recognized on New York Times Best Illustrated Books lists and nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international honor given to children's book creators. This seemingly simple story about a young skater on a frozen pond will charm the youngest of readers while simultaneously astounding book enthusiasts of any age.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sorry, but... I don't get it.

I'm not new to wordless picture books. I actually quite like them. But this one fell really flat for me. Unlike books like I Walk with Vanessa (which has a story with a message), Journey (which is just a great adventure), or even Flora and the Flamingo (which can be forgiven for having a thin story because its pictures are so darn cute), Lines didn't have anything to engage me. The pictures were rather boring, and the "story" wasn't really anything. And I found it confusing. Was the skater the artist? Or was it the person holding the pencil? What's the significance of the pond at the end? Or the stack of drawings? This is a children's picture book; I shouldn't have to think so hard for it to make sense.

I have a feeling that, had I encountered this as a kid, I would've read it once and then promptly forgotten about it. It's the sort of thing that adults will probably appreciate more than kids (although, I can't say that this adult enjoyed it that much, either).

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.6 out of 5

Review - I Walk with Vanessa

I Walk with Vanessa
by Kerascoët
Date: 2018
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

This simple yet powerful picture book--from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team--tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. Inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help. With themes of acceptance, kindness, and strength in numbers, this timeless and profound feel-good story will resonate with readers young and old.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I didn't realize when I picked up this book that it's a wordless picture book. But, sometimes, those can be really powerful.

I Walk with Vanessa tells a story about a girl who is new to town. Nobody really seems to welcome her, and even worse, a bully picks on her after school. Another little girl notices this, and it troubles her. So, the next day, she starts a chain of kindness that ends up impacting many.

The illustrations are quite cute, and an interesting thing is done with the colour palette as the wave of kindness spreads. There's a nice little discussion at the end, more for parents who might be reading the book with their kids, but still worthwhile. I especially liked the bit that differentiated between tattling and telling, for kids who might be worried about getting accused of the former while trying to help: "Tattling is getting someone in trouble, and telling is getting someone out of trouble.

Overall, this is a really strong picture book, even though it doesn't have any text. The pictures are more than enough to tell the story and convey the emotions of the characters. I would definitely recommend this one.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5