Pen Pals

October 24, 2016
Bill is an octopus with weak eyesight and a fondness for video games. Oscar’s an insect who takes judo lessons. Their school-sponsored pen pal correspondence rapidly turns into genuine friendship as they exchange gifts, personal bests, and reading recommendations (“Thank you for Jack the Tarantula”). When Oscar writes to tell Bill that their planned end-of-year visit has been canceled, Bill comes up with a nifty way for the two to meet. In her U.S. debut, French author-illustrator Pichard uses a consistent palette of red, light blue, and yellow to underscore the regularity of the pair’s exchanges, and her story draws humor from speculation about daily life in octopus and insect households (“My stepmom made us hot chocolate and plankton beignets,” Bill writes). Interludes between the missives show postal creatures hurrying over land and sea to deliver the friends’ letters, and close-ups of the gifts the two exchange. Pichard’s story warmly spotlights a friendship that thrives despite unexpected cultural differences. “We have to be careful when we go outside,” Oscar writes in the autumn, “because the leaves are falling and could hurt us.” Ages 4–7.

October 15, 2016
A friendship blooms in this homage to the handwritten letter.Oscar the ant and Bill the octopus are school pen pals. Through their correspondence, the two seemingly different creatures find much in common. Their communication, full of innocent questions and the sharing of wish lists and thoughtful mementos, brings them together. Through the letters (the book's sole text), readers will experience the delight, disappointment, surprise, and anticipation each post brings. The digital illustrations, done with some collage, are reminiscent of Ed Emberley's, with neon colors that pop on the page. A simple format helps clarify who is penning the letter (Bill's are on the left with yellow stationery; Oscar's are on the right with blue). Accompanying each message is an image of its author, almost always in the same pose--but with small additions. Finding what's changed in the simple setup is part of the fun, allowing readers to notice the gifts sent to see how meaningful they are to their recipients. This illustrative device works well; however, this American translation fails to distinguish between the two characters' handwriting (all text is set in a clean, sans serif typeface), missing the opportunity taken in the French original to further differentiate between the characters' styles and personalities. Pichard blends modern interests with the old-fashioned charm of receiving letters by post, proving in this digital age of social media, texting, abbreviation, and brevity that there's still magic behind the stamp. (Picture book. 4-7)

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December 1, 2016

K-Gr 2-Oscar, an ant, and Bill, an octopus, exchange letters during the school year in this simple epistolary picture book. The two ask each other basic pen pal questions and share their likes and dislikes. "I have six legs. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" "I have a goldfish named Goliath. My favorite colors are 1) blue, 2) purple, 3) yellow. What's yours?" The letters are short and chatty with a mild hint of drama as the ant and octopus look forward to a promised visit at the end of the school year. Pichard has a strong graphic style, using basic shapes and white space to portray Oscar and Bill sitting at their respective desks. There is some subtle visual humor, such as when Bill sends Oscar a seashell, which Oscar wears as a hat. More interesting are the depictions of the letter carriers, a mouse and a penguin, who transport the missives across town and out to sea. VERDICT While not a must-purchase, this book is a colorful and fun reminder of the charms of sending and receiving correspondence through the mail, especially in an age when letter writing is becoming a lost art.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Grades K-2 Oscar, an ant, and Bill, a blue octopus, are assigned to be pen pals for a school project, and they get along swimmingly. Their lettersthe only text in the bookreveal plenty about each character, especially their matching generous spirits. Their contrasting shapes and sizes are a big part of the appeal of this epistolary picture book, and the charming illustrations, cartoonishly rendered in simple lines and shapes, humorously capture those moments. Oscar sends Bill a picture of his dog, so Bill send Oscar a seashell. Thank you for the hat! writes Oscar, who wears the shell as a jaunty cap. Oscar sends Bill some mittens, and he replies, Too bad there were only six! A tube of sunscreen Bill finds on the beach towers over tiny Oscar, while Bill keeps everything Oscar sends him in a tidy, minuscule pile. When tragedy strikesOscar's planned class trip to the beach to meet their pen pals gets canceledBill comes up with a clever solution. A cleverly told, sweet story of an unlikely friendship, perfect for sharing with a pal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)