Review by New York Times Review
ADULTS LUG AROUND a five-piece Samsonite luggage set of love and intimacy issues, but most small children have none, or at the most, a carry-on. They are unencumbered by personal history, commitment issues or self-doubt. They just love. Four new valentines disguised as picture books examine age-appropriate love affairs of every stripe: from high-rise-dwelling kids to urban polar bears, from worms to an ink drop and a snowflake. Urbanites will understand true love's obstacle in David Teague and Antoinette Portis's "The Red Hat": the wind that whips through a city's upper stratosphere of apartments and penthouses. Apparently it doesn't menace only flimsy terrace furniture and small barbecue grills, but potential friendships as well. The wind also seems to have blown away any unnecessary visual fussiness in Portis's charming illustration style, which depicts just the right amount of detail and drama with its bold lines and limited color palette. Our hero, Billy Hightower, lives "atop the world's tallest building," high above rain and clouds, but not high enough to escape the fierce wind and a sense of loneliness. A skyscraper rises across the way, and so does Billy's hope of finding a friend when he spots a solitary girl wearing a red hat on the building's roof. Rather than fighting his adversary the wind, cleverly represented by Portis as swirling laminated lines, almost invisible over the art and text, Billy tries to use it to connect with the girl. He misfires several times, ultimately failing big-time and being swept all the way to the ground. Billy is down, but he's not out, and in Teague and Portis's simple universe, a friendship is born. Alessandro Gatti and Pierdomenico Baccalario's "The Story of Snowflake and Inkdrop" may not be about humans, but the journey of these two unlikely soul mates is deeply rooted in humanity. The book's clever design allows the reader to choose which solitary expedition to follow first - Snowflake's or Inkdrop's - with two front covers and two stories that connect in the middle. Simona Mulazzani's lush illustrations take the reader to two distinctly different worlds: inside an artist's art-filled studio, where a drop of ink waits patiently to be put to use, and outside to a serene snow-blanketed town, where a snowflake wonders where it will land. Both worlds are colorful and lovely and enhance the protagonists' desire to fling themselves into the unknown in order to find love. This tale is punctuated with several diecut pages of geometric snowflakes and organic ink-drop shapes. Text, illustration and design culminate harmoniously in the center of the book to elevate this unlikely love affair. Gender roles are imposed on us all. As adults, we mostly accept, rail against, or at least acknowledge them, but as far as the youngest of lovers are concerned, the point is moot. J.J. Austrian and Mike Curato's "Worm Loves Worm," in which two worms of the hermaphroditic variety fall in love, brilliantly explores the idea of love between two beings, regardless of gender (or species) and despite societal pressures. Curato's spare but sure silhouetted images and Austrian's straightforward text are a perfect match to deliver the simple story of two characters who just want to declare their love and commit to each other. With patience and good cheer they accept the various matrimonial trappings offered to them by their well-meaning insect friends, like a wedding party, a cake and rings - even though they have no fingers. The all-embracing spirit of the story is best represented by the worm couple's lack of regard for traditional wedding garb: Each wears bits and pieces of a tuxedo and a wedding dress during the ceremony. Caron Levis and Charles Santoso tackle the sadness that ultimately comes with love in "Ida, Always." Inspired by two real-life polar bears, Gus and Ida, who were residents of New York City's Central Park Zoo, this wonderful story about the loss of a loved one is beautifully told. It's an example of children's books at their best. Santoso's dense, luscious paintings give the couple a solid, reassuring world to live in, which changes in tone and hue according to the characters' emotional state throughout the story. The bears live an idyllic life, playing ball, splashing in the water and sleeping. But their favorite shared experience is sitting on their beloved rock listening to the sounds of the city, something Ida calls "the city's heartbeat." One day Ida doesn't come out of her cave. Gus at first is bored, then confused, and finally hysterical, after Sonya the zookeeper explains that Ida is so sick she will soon die. Together Gus and Ida stomp, snarl and howl against Ida's fate, until they arrive at acceptance. The rest of the story follows Ida's last days, which are filled with not only grief but affection, humor and some "fishy treats." The zoo's visitors mourn Ida's passing, but no one feels the loss more than Gus. The city moves on, and Gus does too, although his life is different. He still plays ball, splashes in the water and sits on their rock listening to the city's heartbeat, but he does it alone. He has known love, but experienced its hardest aspect. Your lover may not live forever, but if you're lucky, their love will live on in your heart. This is a difficult story to tell for both children and adults, but "Ida, Always" does it with simplicity and grace. DAN YACCARINO'S picture books include "Every Friday" and "Unlovable." He is the creator of the animated TV series "Oswald" and "Willa's Wild Life."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [February 7, 2016]
Review by Booklist Review
Inspired by the true story of a couple of polar bears in Manhattan's Central Park Zoo, this tender picture book tells the story of two friends, Gus and Ida. They spend every day together, playing ball, chasing each other, and listening to the sounds of the city. But one day, Ida doesn't come out of her cave. Gus waits and waits, and eventually, zookeeper Sonya comes to explain that Ida is very sick, and she won't get better. Gus and Ida process the news (There were growling days and laughing days and days that mixed them up). Ida spends a lot of time sleeping, and Gus brings her all of her favorite things. And one day, Ida isn't there anymore. This simple story of bereavement and friendship is made even more affecting by its richly colored, quiet illustrations: double-page spreads show the bears in their enclosure, framed by the New York skyline. On other pages, it's just Gus and Ida together against a white background. A heartfelt and powerful depiction of loss and recovery.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Inspired by two polar bears that lived in New York City's Central Park Zoo several years ago, Levis (Stuck with the Blooz) takes readers on a reassuring emotional journey that explores friendship, love, and loss. Polar bears Ida and Gus spend their days playing, splashing, and listening to the sounds of the city, but everything changes when Ida becomes terminally ill. Echoing the stages of grief, the friends stomp and snarl upon learning the bad news, then come to an exhausted, quiet acceptance as they begin to share Ida's dwindling time. Levis's characterization of caring, supportive friends is spot on; the bears give each other "a moment alone" when needed, and express how much they'll miss each other. The description of Ida's passing is brief, poignant, and gentle, as is Gus's adjustment to life without his best friend. Santoso (I Don't Like Koala) creates gauzy backgrounds featuring the city skyline and the zoo's greenery, and his slightly anthropomorphic bears convey a wealth of feeling through their expressive eyes, smiles, and body language. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Emily Mitchell, Wernick & Pratt Agency. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Loosely based on Gus and Ida, the polar bears who lived at the Central Park Zoo until Ida's death in 2011 and Gus's death in 2013, this frank yet sensitive work explores loss and affirms the power of friendship. Pals Ida and Gus do everything together, until one day Gus discovers his companion is sick. Zookeeper Sonya explains that though she and the other workers will make sure Ida isn't in any pain, they can't cure her and over time, Ida will eventually weaken and die. While the tone is gentle, Levis is honest about the turmoil and anguish of terminal illness: though Gus and Ida make the most of their moments together, there are days where they feel sad and frustrated and times when both bears need to be alone. The quiet, lyrical text is complemented by the soft, evocative visuals. Digitally rendered, the illustrations have a painterly feel and make effective use of color. The settings-sunsets, overcast days, and, when Ida passes away, a rainy morning-reinforce the mood well. Santoso's design is particularly inspired, with good use of the gutter and perspective. Gus and Ida are cute and have sweetly expressive faces, but they aren't overly anthropomorphized, nor does Santoso play up the adorable factor to gloss over the painful narrative. Although Gus experiences real loss upon Ida's death, the book ends on a hopeful note, emphasizing the strength of the friendship and Gus's memories of Ida. VERDICT A tender and honest portrayal of coming to terms with death.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This is a picture book about loss and grief, so it is probably not a coincidence that it is pictorially dominated by skies. Santoso paints amazing skies. There's a spectacular view of the sky on almost every page of the story. When the sky isn't visible, it's usually reflected in a pool of water. They're city skies, so the clouds are shaped like buses and taxis, but sometimes they look like bears chasing each other through the air. This is apt, as the main characters in the book are Gus and Ida, two polar bears living in the city zoo. Some days, Ida is too weak to swim or play, and sometimes she coughs or sleeps too long. The book is very blunt about what's happening: "one day, when her body stopped working, Ida would die." Levis writes about death and the bears' mutual devotion with surprising beauty: "There were growling days and laughing days / and days that mixed them up." But some of the most affecting passages are hardly poetic at all. Gus' distress is emphasized in large, bold type: " Don't go,' he growled. Don't go, don't goDON'T!' " The final image shows Gus beneath a cloud shaped like a lone bear. The text says: "And Ida is right there. Always." If the text is occasionally sentimental or overwritten, the pictures are so simple they're heartbreaking. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
