Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"An in-between thing is a thing in the middle," debut author Tey explains on the opening page, and with dog and cat frenemies as readers' guides, she gives a lowly preposition the star treatment, exploring all the things that in-between can be: a geographic location ("What will you find between the floor and the carpet?/ Yuck!"), a separator (a door; the glass of a fishbowl), a mashup (spork; the color green), or something that's neither one thing or another (like twilight). Her aesthetic is quirky, ingenious, and highly disciplined: she works in strong shapes and fittingly translucent colors, and imbues even inanimate objects with humor and character. In one standout vignette, she promises that a fort (made from a sheet and chairs in a child's bedroom) "will separate you from the monsters at night." The dog, snugly inside, basks in the glow of a flashlight, the cat peers in from the threshold, and in the darkest corner of the room, some googly-eyed goblins lurk (more goofy than scary), looking thwarted and a little sad. Without venturing beyond the cat and dog's home and neighborhood, Tey shows readers there's a world of in-between wonder right in front of them. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-What starts as straightforward concept book exploring the preposition "between" actually incorporates complex thinking and problem-solving skills. A dog and cat in a living room introduce the simple idea that "an in-between thing is a thing in the middle" with a series of statements that correspond directly to the mixed-media illustrations. In a puzzlelike way, readers can match up elements of the text and the illustrations to identify what is between two items. Then the text explores a slightly higher-level thought that "in-between" things are boundaries or separations, such as a glass fish bowl between the cat and a goldfish, or walls and doorways between rooms in a house. Taking the idea further, roads can be between houses, bridges connect parts of roads, and cars or trains can take you between places. Next the idea of combinations is introduced, such as in-between yellow and blue is green, and in-between a spoon and a fork is a spork. The narrative ventures into fantasy with some made-up animals and animal sounds, and into philosophy with consideration of transitions. If the sky is dim, is it sunrise or sunset? The dog and the cat are constant connections throughout the book, giving readers a consistent link between the various physical and intellectual spaces through which the narrative travels. VERDICT Unique and thought-provoking, this book is especially appropriate for "in-between" picture book audiences: children who appreciate the visual cues but are ready for a more complicated narrative structure.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond © Copyright 2018. 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 pet cat and dog introduce the titular concept from their house--e.g., "The cat is between / the table that's green / and the chair with the tear, / sitting right over there." Through eye-catching mixed-media illustrations, Tey brings readers into a well-appointed, shabby-chic country home. The rhyming text is sprightly but overlong, especially since the book's concept is easily graspable. (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 between this and that? In that spot between here and there? Young readers locate the answer in this playful picture book that calls attention to the in-between things. The first double-page spread offers both a definition ("An in-between thing is a thing in the middle") and a cheery illustration of a cozy, somewhat jumbled living room occupied by a corpulent charcoal cat and a long-faced hound dog. Identifying the spatial relationships within this eclectic interior world grows increasingly entertaining as the "in-between" starts cropping up all over. Aha! A round picture frame between two rectangular ones! A sock between the couch cushions! A glance exchanged between the cat and dog (both awkwardly atop furniture that keeps something between them and the floor)! Frolicsome rhyming verse accompanies these two pets during the course of their rambles around the house and outside, marking the in-between things along the way. Their sibling relationship (alternating between closeness and estrangement) and individual antics keep the giggles coming. Abundant lemony yellows and springtime greens imbue Tey's soft mixed-media illustrations with a sunny brightness that lifts readers as they search for in-betweens at each page turn.An entertaining, original search-and-find for young cartographers mapping out their worlds, learning new ways to look and make visual sense of the people, places, and things they encounter. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
