Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Working in a striking poster style, Völker (A Million Dots) sends a bear on a long journey, invited by a butterfly with an unknown destination: "The journey itself is the reward," she intones. The bear, a hulking black form with expressive eyes, asks many questions ("Are you sure we're walking in the right direction?"), to which the butterfly, whose delicate wings glow with faint blue-green light, gives riddle-like answers ("Sometimes you have to get lost to find yourself"). Her insight and encouragement inspire undreamed-of feats of strength from the bear, including crossing a raging river. Shape-based landscapes and stippled textures make up graphical images, while text provides sensory detail ("The forest floor felt cool and wet beneath his great paws") and dialogue supplies humor and warmth. When the two reach a mountain's summit and Bear enjoys the view, Butterfly asks, "Would you like this to be our destination?" He replies, "I suppose we could go a bit further." It's not the goal that matters but what one experiences along the way, suggests this wisdom-oriented tale that ends with another aphorism: "The end of one journey is the beginning of another." Ages 3--7. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
As Bear wakes from his "long, long sleep," he receives an invitation from Butterfly to join her on a journey. Where to? "All journeys have a secret destination...The journey itself is the reward," responds Butterfly enigmatically. Bear and Butterfly continue their adventure through rain, a dense forest, and quite a treacherous mountain. Once again, Bear asks for a little clarification -- "Are we nearly there yet?" -- and receives another (seemingly unhelpful) nugget of wisdom from his companion: "Never measure the height of the mountain until you reach the top." The long and winding trip becomes more wondrous, and even more arduous, the farther they go. A broad night sky and a glowing moon remind big Bear of his smallness, and a wide, roaring river he must cross challenges his bravery. As winter is setting in again, Bear and Butterfly finally reach their destination...or, as Butterfly says: "The end of one journey is the beginning of another." Volker's skill as a graphic designer shines through these sleek, minimalist illustrations: mountains and trees appear as striking sequences of triangles, and the changing of seasons is implied by a shift from red and orange dots to white stars sprinkled across the page. Bear's eyes communicate every ounce of his curiosity, fear, hope, and exhaustion along the way. Grace McKinney BeermannSeptember/October 2023 p.62 (c) Copyright 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
A bear and a butterfly embark on a transformational journey. In A Million Dots (2019), German graphic designer Völker explored exponential growth. Here, he presents visual and verbal contrasts for viewers to ponder. Bear is an immense, solid black form, whereas Butterfly is a slight, airy creature with green, blue, and yellow gossamer wings. Butterfly invites Bear to accompany her on a trip. Bear is initially attuned to practical matters--food, rest, and destination. The philosophical, Yoda-esque insect explains, "The journey itself is the reward." Compositions incorporate a pleasing balance of flat colors and stylized images (trees shaped like pyramids, falling leaves as ovals) and textured objects (a tan cave speckled with black dots). As the conversation continues, Bear finds a rhythm as he climbs the mountain, enjoys the magnificent view, and summons the courage to swim across a rushing river. Butterfly's patience and encouragement and Bear's playfulness contribute much to the expedition's quality, their mutual vulnerability allowing them to connect and care for one another. One enjoyable spread depicts Bear snacking on berries while Butterfly sips nectar from some flowers. She remarks, "And then you'll poo out the seeds and more flowers will grow. We're part of a great big circle." Observant children will notice the rounded sun behind them, the moon on the next page, and their return to their point of origin. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sensitive script, touches of humor, and a captivating design combine for an excursion readers will want to repeat. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
