Roland

Punished for being late to school by being sent to stand in the classroom corner, Roland amuses himself by drawing a tiger and then bringing it to life by saying, Crack! His teacher and, later, his mother are not amazed by Roland's ability: they view supernatural events with a mix of irritation and resignation rather than wonder. Roland mainly works his magic through drawing, but in one scene, he turns a fur coat into many little fur animals, which scatter in multiple directions. Since the coat is gone, Roland is accused of stealing it and sent to prison. Luckily, one of the fur animals knows how to open doors and helps Roland escape. Originally published in 1958 and released here for the first time, the story reads like a child recounting a dream, with strange events in the episodic story line easily accepted as normal. In thick, black brushstrokes and a limited palette, François' illustrations have an undeniably vintage feel. Absurdist and imaginative, this visually sophisticated but humorous narrative may not appeal to everyone, but it will delight readers willing to accept its unusual premise.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2016 Booklist

PreS-Gr 2-François, a Hungarian-born French artist who contributed New Yorker covers from the 1960s through the 1980s, established an aesthetic that influenced many contemporary children's book artists. It is not surprising, therefore, that his children's books, long out of print, are currently experiencing a mini-resurgence. This title, first published in the United States in 1958, features an eponymous hero very much like Crockett Johnson's Harold, in that both are able to draw objects that become real, although Roland's ability extends to bringing anything to life with a single word. Roland's classroom drawings produce a tiger, a zebra, and a winter landscape severe enough to force the teacher to suspend class, and that is only the start of his antics. In essence, Roland is the naughty child who creates havoc but suffers only mild rebuke, a successor to Beatrix Potter's Peter and precursor to David Shannon's David. Stéphane's zany story, while timeless, is set in a chic pre-World War II Parisian neighborhood that may date the book for adults but will be accepted by children as part of the fantastic adventure. François's expressionist style lends the illustrations, rendered in broad brushstrokes and flat color, a childlike quality. VERDICT Highly recommended for its guaranteed kid appeal.-Susan Stan, Professor Emerita of English, Central Michigan University © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.