Review by Booklist Review
Travel with our young protagonist on a colorful journey from the high hills of Japan to the Kenyan savannas, doing everything from navigating an isolated storm in the Coral Sea to having ice cream with a tractor mechanic in Sheboygan. Then open your eyes to the stories around you: Who dropped that penny at the bottom of the pool? Where do birds go when they leave the telephone wire? Now go off and explore your world! This sweet picture book is a petition for children everywhere to open their eyes and imaginations and ignite their natural curiosity to see backstories and beauty in every moment of life. The text is simple and straightforward, and the mixed-media choices are bold and striking (rust-colored pyramids, sherbet sunsets). Written and illustrated by a charming and accomplished husband-wife team dedicated to increasing creativity in both young and old minds alike, this is a worthwhile addition to any collection seeking to increase its focus on diversity and expansive thinking.--Worthington, Becca Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
From the husband-and-wife team behind Babies Ruin Everything comes a sweeping exploration of imagination, appreciation, and possibility. A curly-haired boy with brown skin invites children to follow his lead and find their own story, one that lies in noticing and recognizing the beautiful, interesting things the world has to offer. "So keep your eyes wide open as you go," he advises, sharing his own catalogue: "In Egypt, there are pyramids.... In Alaska, there are cold, wet waters filled with seals and sockeye salmon.... In Sheboygan, there is a tractor mechanic named Shirley who has thirty-seven friends." The boy also notes that wonders can be found close to home: a blue balloon caught in a tree, an unusual looking soup noodle, or a glass doorknob that "makes rainbows when the reading lamp clicks on." Peppered with questions and comments, Swanson's narrative initiates a thought-provoking conversation with readers, and Behr's digitally assembled watercolors create a dreamy mood. Her vibrantly hued scenes of lush jungles, dry savanna, and roads "that somehow never seem to end" paint a vivid portrait of the world's diversity. Ages 3-7. Agent: Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, DeFiore and Company. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Pyramids, blue balloons, beautiful things of wonder-this title speaks to the power of the imagination, starting with an open book, a shared story, a "little gift from me to you." As a young boy reads, he begins a journey-from the Egyptian pyramids to the canyons of Arizona and through Brazilian jungles; Japanese gardens; the savannas of Kenya; the salmon-filled waters of Alaska; the storms of the Coral Sea; the surface of the moon; the farms of Sheboygan, WI; and the white solitude of the North Pole. Slipping in and out of his thoughts, blue balloons are like wonders yet to be found and moments of inspiration and dreams. "You never know what you might see.so keep your eyes wide open as you go." As the boy presses his nose to windowpanes, his cartoon smile follows the balloons. A colorful collection of water-washed digital collage images join descriptive prose to invite readers and dreamers to embark on the adventure and share their own tales. VERDICT A tribute to the power of imagination awaiting those who are open to the marvels that surround them. Best reserved for one-on-one sharing.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX © 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.
