The Adventurers

November 9, 2015
A girl and her toys lose themselves in an imagination-fueled adventure that takes them from snowy mountains to the open seas and beyond. The girl, referred to as "the Child," and her companions, which include a blue polka-dotted elephant and a rocking horse, take turns telling the others where they are, what pitfalls they are facing, and the daring rescues that keep them safe. "I ride our sleigh through sparkling ravines!" says a Russian nesting doll. "But we meet a Yeti!" interrupts Velvet Cat. "It imprisons us in its icicle cavern!" Elliot's dialogue-driven storytelling strongly emphasizes children's creative abilities, as her characters imperil themselves with conjured-up sea serpents and genies, before imagining their own escape routes. The detailed dialogue leaves Docampo (Medio Pollito) with little to do but draw what's being described. That said, she still brings a sweeping sense of excitement and danger to the pages, mixing up perspectives as she offers a bird's-eye view of a pirate ship under assault and watching from below as the child and toys tumble down a waterfall. Ages 4â8.