Review by New York Times Review
PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT SHADOWS, darkness and echoes are perennial and enduring. Still I was surprised to see that this fall, three attractive books about shadows are being published, and in all three, the shadows - in one way or another - become detached from the protagonists, showing their divergent and distinctive personalities. They are uniformly more playful, brave and clever than their human counterparts. I typically stay away from children's books that dispatch moral instruction with a sense of authority, but as it turns out, when it comes to shadows, the impulse to impart wisdom is especially difficult to suppress. Shadows are proxies for the unconscious, repressed or unrealized side of the self. It's not a bad thing to offer stories for children that foster confidence through introspection. It's not a bad thing to encourage children to be more courageous. But as these three shadow stories show, a book can rise or fall on the strength of how it does those things. In "Smoot, a Rebellious Shadow," the tables are turned, and the story is told from the perspective of Smoot, the shadow. Smoot's adventure begins with the words, "But shadows can dream and when they do, the dreams are filled with color." Not unlike Pinocchio, Smoot desires a real life - a life filled with adventure and "colored freedom." Colored freedom? And then, just like that - "pop," we read - he becomes unstuck and embarks on a raucous adventure filled with bravery and bravado (just like a real boy). The other shadows take note and remark, "If he can follow his dreams, we can too." Smoot's brief adventure - which, weirdly, happens against a Tuscan or Umbrian hilltop backdrop - has a positive influence on the entire world of shadowy figures. In the end, there is only one person who still needs Smoot's help - the boy who cast the sooty shadow in the first place. He was watching all along. And now (spoiler alert) he wants to be more like Smoot. As in his previous books like "Sidewalk Flowers" and "The White Cat and the Monk," Sydney Smith's illustrations have a sort of effortless freedom that belies the careful pacing and thoughtful page designs. There is one glorious, wordless spread where Smoot cuts across the gutter against a clamor of color. In the end, it's the illustrations I admire most in this book. I have been an admirer of Serge Bloch ("Reach for the Stars," "Butterflies in My Stomach") for a long time, and "George and His Shadow" didn't let me down. For me, his offbeat artwork is reminiscent of the best French poster art from between the world wars - artists like Villemot or Savignac. If you ever wonder things like, Who would have thought that a puck of raw hamburger topped with a raw egg would be delicious? Well, Bloch might have! George, the book's main character, lives a truly unremarkable life - a sort of shadow of what might have been. The book begins with, "It seemed like an ordinary day. A day just like any other." The short, clipped words and sentences complement Bloch's illustrative approach perfectly. It's as though the writer, Davide Cali, wrote the book with Bloch in mind. ("He'll want to draw a vacuum cleaner sucking up the shadow at some point, I suppose.") Here too, the protagonist's castaway shadow - defying George at every turn - forces him out of his monotonous, humdrum routine. In the end, the shadow helps George to become more comfortable with who he is: some middle-aged French guy with Le Corbusier glasses and a green tartan fedora. Still, I'd really like to go over to his apartment sometime for Calvados and steak Tartare - and who knows what else? Two sisters named Natalia and Lauren O'Hara are the makers of "Hortense and the Shadow," a handsome debut picture book. According to a publicity note they wrote, they grew up in a "grim little town in the north of England" but are descended from both Austro-Hungarian nobility and Polish butchers - an ideal background for these self-professed admirers of Lemony Snicket, Hans Christian Andersen and Carson Ellis. (What about Edward Gorey?) When we meet Hortense, she is angry and sad that her shadow follows her everywhere. What a pain. Perhaps her shadow is a metaphor for the fate of that annoying Austro-Hungarian nobility - always tagging along, unwanted and uninvited. So Hortense finds a way to lose her shadow. That's going great for her, until she is saved from a band of marauding nighttime bandits by none other than her decidedly braver shadow. Full of remorse, she exclaims, "Oh, shadow, I saw things all wrong. . . . What's a page without ink, or a deer without spots, or a moon without night? You're part of me, shadow. Please come back!" Does Hortense's shadow return? You'll have to buy the book to find out. It's beautifully designed, with excellent production values, and if the story doesn't quite live up to its formidable ambitions, it's worth noting that they are admirably big indeed. 0 When it comes to shadows, the impulse to impart wisdom is strong. FRANK VIVA is the author and illustrator of picture books including "Along a Long Road" and "Outstanding in the Rain."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [July 16, 2018]
Review by Booklist Review
One ordinary day, George, a dapper urban dweller, discovers that his shadow wants to do more than just be a shadow. The shadow sticks with George, acting as a companion rather than a traditional shadow annoying at first and then, as a playmate, entertaining. When the shadow abruptly disappears, George misses it until, on another seemingly ordinary day, he's greeted by his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Whimsical black-and-white line drawings created, according to the front matter, with the artist's brain, hands, and computer clearly enhance the escapades, using swatches of color and texture to highlight various aspects, such as a green plaid for George's suit and homburg. Reminiscent of the style and humor of Jon Agee's books, this jovial New York City-set story, originally written in Italian, is sophisticated in style yet deals with concepts (shadows and companionship) easily understood by young children. This paradox is mirrored by George, an adult with a child's lifestyle and sensibilities. Compare and contrast with Mac Barnett's The Skunk (2015).--Enos, Randall Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
George, a bespectacled urbanite who sleeps in blue pajamas and a plaid hat, finds a black silhouette at his kitchen table one morning. "Who are you?" he asks. "I'm your shadow," the silhouette replies. "Shouldn't you be on the floor?" George points out. "I was hungry," the shadow says. Bibo's translation of Cali's text is smooth and sly. George's shadow spends the day doing everything he does, and "George began to feel more and more annoyed." Now dressed in a plaid suit that matches his hat, George attempts to get rid of his shadow-permanently-including snipping him to pieces with scissors and trying to vacuum him up. Collage elements add to the visual slapstick, broad blocks of color hint at the light-versus-dark theme, and Bloch's loopy line captures chairs, crockery, and city buildings with impulsive spontaneity. George is one of those adult characters who could just as well be a child; eventually, he grows to enjoy his new companion. Bonus giggles are provided by George's crocodile-schnozzed dog, who helps him see the shadow's potential as a friend. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-The author and illustrator of The Enemy: A Book About Peace have teamed up again for this gently absurdist picture book translated from the Italian. George, a bespectacled white man in a plaid homburg, wakes one morning to discover that his shadow has come to life and is sitting at the breakfast table. "I was hungry," the shadow explains matter-of-factly. The book follows the classic plot of a grump reluctantly making a friend. First, the shadow plays the genial straight man to frantic George, who makes every effort to get rid of him. Next, George lightens up and the two enjoy each other's company. Finally, the shadow returns to his usual form, leaving George bereft. The last page hints at a sequel, this time with George's reflection in the mirror taking on a life of its own. Bloch's full-bleed digital illustrations resemble ink and collage and feature spare lines with some patches of color. The sketchy lines and exaggerated proportions are reminiscent of cartoons by James Thurber and Jules Feiffer and may appeal most to sophisticated young readers (or their parents). Scooter, George's expressive little dog, adds interest to the pages. -VERDICT A whimsical but slight bit of silliness, this is an additional purchase for -larger libraries.-Sarah Stone, San -Francisco Public Library © Copyright 2017. 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 Horn Book Review
A man named George wakes to find his shadow sitting in the kitchen. At first, George dislikes being followed around the city and tries to get rid of his shadow (via scissors, a vacuum, etc.). When he finally comes around to appreciating his constant companion, it disappears. This original story deserves distinctive art, and Bloch obliges with larkish mixed-media scenes. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
What's that sitting at the table? And why is it following George all over the city?One morning, when George walks into the kitchen, he sees a dark figure sitting at the table, drinking coffee. George recognizes this as his shadow and asks why it's not on the floor. The shadow responds, "I was hungry." So goes the day. When George takes the dog for a walk, the shadow follows, walking upright rather than on the ground. The shadow follows him everywhere. After a while, George starts to get annoyed. How can he make the shadow disappear? He tries cutting it into tiny pieces, but that doesn't work. Neither does trying to wash it away with a big hose, using a vacuum cleaner, garlic, or telling his dog, Scooter, to attack. Scooter just ends up cradled happily in the shadow's arms. George decides that maybe they can be friends. George and his shadow have an enjoyable day together. Then, abruptly, the shadow decides to nap, resuming its customary position on the ground, causing George to feel oddly lonely. The next day starts like any otherbut when George walks into the bathroom, his reflection in the mirror introduces itself! Cali subtly explores friendship and solitude with panache and a refreshing lack of condescension. Bloch's stylish computer-generated illustrations play with shape, color, and perspective, adding another layer of absurdism. Droll. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
