The Bad Chair

September 15, 2020
Chair just wants "to be in on the game." Every night before bed, Vivi, a brown-skinned girl with puffy pigtails, and Monkey, a child-sized stuffed animal, play a game. Monkey hides in plain sight under a blanket, Vivi pretends to look everywhere for Monkey, Vivi questions the witnesses: Chair, Plant, Kettle, and Cat. Chair is the only witness who cares about the game. But the role of witness is not enough for Chair. Chair loves Vivi and wants to be more involved. But night after night, Monkey comes out of hiding, and the pair leaves Chair sleepless and jealous. One night, Chair decides that if Monkey needed a bath--say, if some juice were spilled on Monkey--then Chair could take Monkey's place. But the plan backfires. When Monkey doesn't turn up, Vivi only looks harder for Monkey and becomes upset with Chair when Vivi realizes Chair had a hand in the disappearance. But all ends well when Vivi comes to understand Chair's intentions. Vivi is easily seen as a beloved adult, with Chair as a misunderstood, childlike character who just wants some attention, making this story a clever representation of all-too-real feelings of the young. Bright, expressive illustrations add to the chuckleworthy drama. There are some off notes: Plant's falling "in love" with Cat is an odd touch for this age group, and the Monkey-as-peer is rather unsettling both conceptually and visually. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.8-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 71.8% of actual size.) Cute concept; readers' mileage may vary. (Picture book. 3-6)

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September 28, 2020
Tolstikova (Violet and the Woof) writes a closely observed account of someone longing to be noticed. Vivi is a tan-skinned girl who engages in nightly sessions of hide-and-seek with her stuffed yellow monkey. In Tolstikova’s world, inanimate domestic objects can talk—they’re all portrayed in bright, loose art—and the child’s playful quizzing while sporting a deerstalker cap is part of her hide-and-seek ritual: “Have you seen Monkey?” she asks Cat, Chair, Kettle, and Plant. One night bright red Chair, longing to be the object Vivi hunts for, intentionally spills a drink all over Monkey, who has to be laundered: “Maybe tonight Vivi will look for ME!” Chair thinks, hopes high. Though Vivi is temporarily fooled, she becomes outraged when she uncovers the ruse. Readers will feel Chair’s pain as Monkey and Vivi retreat together (“I have so much to tell you,” Vivi croons exclusively). In the end, Vivi has a change of heart, but the story’s real draw is the clash between Tolstikova’s cheery, naïf-style artwork and her mordant portrait of an uncertain soul. Ages 3–7. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House.

October 23, 2020

K-Gr 2-In Vivi's room, a houseplant is in love with a cat, her stuffed monkey can walk and talk, and her chair feels left out of all the fun. Every day Vivi and Monkey play hide and seek. Monkey hides, and Vivi, a brown-skinned girl with natural hair, seeks. When Chair wants to hide, he sabotages the game by spilling a drink on Monkey to send him to the washing machine. Vivi is initially upset when she discovers Chair's deception, but after a moment's thought, she forgives Chair and decides to let him play. This book driven by a clear sense of childlike logic; in the brief scene where an adult appears, it's simply a black and white outline, a silhouette existing only peripherally in the child's imagination. Further, the extent of each household item's anthropomorphism varies. For instance, Monkey can move around the room, independently play games, and talk. Chair is not as ambulatory. The watercolor illustrations strike the perfect balance of being naive without seeming amateurish. The color scheme is vibrant and the character's faces-even the nonhuman ones-are expressive. VERDICT Some readers may not like that Chair's bad behavior is rewarded, but others may see it as a story of forgiveness; a worthwhile purchase, not just for the unique, nuanced artwork.-Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

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