Imagine That!

May 22, 2017
A young bear named Lila has an adventurous spirit and a fertile imagination; Ismail (Christmas for Greta and Gracie) gives readers front-row seats as Lila turns ordinary routines into heroic escapades. “Lila, have you put your shoes on yet?” asks her mother as they prepare to leave the house. No response. “Lila, what are you doing?” she continues, which gets a “Nothing...” from her daughter. But a page turn reveals that, in Lila’s mind, her under-the-table wrangling with her shoes and their twisty laces is actually an underwater tussle with a giant octopus, which she describes in heroic verse: “I’ll fight this fearsome monster/ and soon he will regret/ not giving up much sooner to/ become my faithful pet.” The pattern repeats on a bus, on the street, and when they meet up with Lila’s grandfather (it seems clear that she inherited her imaginativeness from him). Ismail’s splashy watercolors plunge readers into Lila’s fantasies, whether she’s howling as her chariot races across the page or she’s terrorizing a city like King Kong—if King Kong had strings attaching his mittens to his coat. Ages 3–6. Agent: Vicki Willden-Lebrecht. Bright Literary.

July 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Active little Lila the bear is always busy doing something-playing with her shoes instead of putting them on, dillydallying instead of getting ready for school, or making a mess with a cookie. However, when she is asked, "Lila, what are you doing?" her response is always "nothing." But that is far from the truth. Lila uses her imagination to take her on all kinds of fantastic adventures. Spirited and oh so relatable, Lila resembles many children, and she knows how to fill a day with excitement. This book lets adults know what is really happening when children respond with "nothing" when questioned about their day. The text on the pages that show what is actually happening is typed in one font, while the text on the pages depicting Lila's fantasy world is italicized. The illustrations, done in watercolor on a crisp white background, are large and fun, conveying the bear's thrilling escapades. Listeners will be eager to hear what Lila is going to do next and will love that she inspires one particular grown-up to use his imagination as well. VERDICT This charming read-aloud offers readers a peek into the hidden world of a child's splendid imagination.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
A slice-of-life story about a little one with a big imagination. Lila's mother tries to usher her out the door to spend some time with Grandpa, but at every step Lila is caught up in her imagination and fails to follow through on her mother's instructions. All the named characters are anthropomorphic bears, and alternating spreads show the real-world interactions between mother and child followed by Lila's pretend-play scenarios, which undermine her obedience. For example, she hasn't put on her shoes because playing with them and their unfurled laces makes her imagine wrestling an octopus (which she calls a monster) under the sea. Cavorting with her coat while balancing atop a stool makes her think of standing on a zebra's back in a circuslike atmosphere. Lila's shenanigans continue while en route to Grandpa, as she chomps a cookie on the train (imagining she's a King-Kong-like creature overpowering the gingerbread man) and speeds off on her scooter ahead of her mother (pretending she's driving a chariot). Grandpa is a playful sort who joins in on her play, and a lovely concluding illustration shows Lila's mother settled on a bench and reading a book, indulging her own imagination through literature. Vibrant watercolors with loose lines conveying motion and energy are an ideal match for the playful, joyful text. It's hard to imagine this won't be a hit. (Picture book. 3-6)

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June 1, 2017
Preschool-G Young bear Lila and her mother are supposed to be leaving to go visit Grandpa, but Lila still hasn't finished getting ready. When her mother asks what she's doing, Lila says, Nothing but actually, she's busily engaged in imagined adventures. Her shoelaces inspire thoughts of a dramatic undersea octopus encounter. Her scarf and mittens become accoutrements in a festive circus reverie. And on their train ride, while eating a gingerbread cookie, Lila pictures herself as a giant, climbing a tower like King Kong. Finally arriving, she rushes to hug waiting Grandpa, who's happy to join Lila in make-believe fun as they soar among clouds together. Lively, freewheeling watercolor illustrations in vibrant colors creatively integrate depictions of Lila's actual experiences, which incorporate Mother and Grandfather's more straightforward conversations with Lila, with the fanciful, whimsically detailed spreads of her imaginary adventures, featuring her inner thoughts and lively descriptions in rhyming text that swirls across the pages. This playful, eloquent portrayal of childhood imagination celebrating the joy of daydreaming would be a great pick for group storytime.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)