May 26, 2014
Marceau and Jolivet, the French duo behind the oversize foldout book Panorama, return with another idiosyncratic project, one that feels like a cousin to Blexbolex’s Seasons and People. First published in France, the book presents more than 50 simple, stately linocuts of people, animal, and objects, each of which (or whom) declares its location. “I am in the bed, said the dog,” reads one page, as a black-and-white pup stares beseechingly at readers. “I am in the dark, said the child,” appears opposite, as a boy (in his own bed) peers at the golden light peeking from beneath his bedroom door. Creamy shades of blue, violet, orange, and green contribute to a sedate mood; while the book offers opportunities to discuss the meaning of “in,” the repeating statements of being on each page give each subject subtle anthropomorphic dimension—even when said subject is defined by absence (“I am in the cheese, said the hole”). Readers may find themselves dreaming about what the future might hold for the pebble nestled in a shoe, the abandoned soccer ball in a field, and the princess in a painting. Ages 3–5.
July 15, 2014
The French duo that collaborated on the foldout book Panorama (2009) returns with another visually exciting collection of images, this time bound traditionally.Each page-and an occasional double-page spread-contains a linocut presenting an arresting, tactile composition. A white bird rests in a nest built from chiseled diagonals, short blue lines cradling the creature against the black tree; a train, inferable from the clues of distant lights in a tunnel, approaches readers from under an arch of brown bricks above, with pebbles and track below. There is much to peruse and describe with a baby or by a young child, and readers in the know will recognize animals from Jolivet's previous books. The text, however, is less successful. The need for the repetitive first-person declarations is questionable: "I am in the apricot, said the pit. / I am in the bed, said the teddy bear"). Perhaps the somnolent syntax is intended to induce the sleep depicted in the final scene of a father holding his son, who's clasping a book-this book. Maybe it is all meant to climax in the resulting multiple meanings of "And me, I am in your arms!"Minus variance in prepositions, relationship among pages or discernible story arc (except for a conclusion), this feels more like a museum stroll than a coherent picture book-stimulating but not wholly satisfying. (Picture book. 3-5)
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August 1, 2014
PreS-Gr 1-In this title, a succession of more than 50 images places readers inside the page, listening to the voice of the subject. The focus with each page turn is on the position of the narrator. "I am in the glove, said the hand." "I am in the shoe, said the pebble." Each graphic design allows a colorfully printed glimpse within. Open eyes pop against a room's darkness, while a sliver of light softly glows beneath a door-"I am in the dark, said the child." This collection of simplified illustrations contains identifiable pictures for the youngest children. Leaves disappear amid the stripes of a tiger, and patterns abound; images of a flower, bird, spider, grass, train, tiger, and butterfly appear on single pages or on spreads that include some unusual choices-a pit in an apricot, a hole in cheese. This is an unusual resource for young readers searching for shapes or beginning to infer what could happen on the next page. A perfect choice for story starters.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2015
Inanimate objects, animals, and people tell the reader, in accessibly repetitive sentences, their location: "I am in the net, said the butterfly. / I am in space, said the planet." Bold block-print illustrations portray settings and situations that children will enjoy identifying, solidifying their grasp of the "in" concept. The spaciousness of the design and exquisite color sense enliven a simple format.
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
November 1, 2014
The concept of one thing existing "in" another gets Jolivet's striking graphic treatment in this French import. Inanimate objects, animals, and people speak directly from the page to tell the reader, in accessibly repetitive sentences, their location: "I am in the stroller, said the child. / I am in the net, said the butterfly. / I am in space, said the planet." (An unfortunate error: "I am in the borough, said the rabbit.") The length of this outing makes it more suitable for one-on-one sharing than storytimes, and the structure is browsable rather than narrative, although children may enjoy constructing their own stories out of the spare information given on each page. The solid-color block-print illustrations link pages, provide chromatic continuity, and offer boldly simplified portrayals of settings, characters, and situations that children will enjoy identifying (or, in some cases, discovering), solidifying their grasp of the "in" concept with familiar contexts. The airy spaciousness of the design and exquisite color sense breathe life into a simple format. In this book is a world expansive, bright, and filled with ideas. claire e. gross
(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)