How the Nobble Was Finally Found

July 27, 2009
The lonely Nobble (an implike creature with “two lovely wings and little claws on his fingers and a bunch of nice toes”) has never met another living being, but after a long journey he is found by a girl who, in turn, leads him to another Nobble. The Nobble-meets-Nobble romance charms, as does the creature's E.T.-like naïveté. Because he's never met anyone else, he not only must learn what a door is but also what knocking is, and the importance of saying “Who's there?” instead of “Where when?” Caldecott Medalist Gammell, working in an eerie rather than sprightly mode, renders the Nobble as Williams describes him, but avoids visualizing some of the text's more fanciful images (as when the Nobble takes walks “on the bumps under the word asparagus or,... in the river that runs along beneath piano strings”). Instead, he paints the Nobbles in cloudy alien landscapes of gray, shot through with spidery filaments. Williams's text (there's a good deal more than in the average picture book) looks dense but reads lightly. Once past the initial dreariness of the Nobble's solitary existence, the story moves swiftly toward its end, with sweetly poignant giggles throughout. Ages 6–9.

September 1, 2009
Gr 2-4-Gammell lavishes the pages of this oversize book with whimsical, intriguing backgrounds that feature gnarled branches, protruding vines, and mushroomlike appendages. This is the world of Nobblea dangly eared, spike-haired, green-footed imp with "two lovely wings." His 4323 years, 3 months, and 14 days have been filled with play in the space between Wednesday and Thursday and with naps in the bottom rung of the number eight. Of late, though, never having known anybody at all, he finds himself lonely, so he heads for the glow way off in the distance between Friday and Saturday. After stumbling into a city filled with new and amazing buildings, strange creatures, and scary sounds, he is befriended by an amicable and determined young girl who, after several persistent tries, leads him to his heart's desireanother Nobble, just like him. The story is longer than most picture books, but Williams's playful language and sprightly pacing zips the tale along nicely, coexisting well with the richly colored and creative images. Gammell also sparks the text by hand drawing and coloring key words"Nobble" is highlighted each time it appears, resulting in an airy look to the type that blends illustrations and story together. This delightful fantasy about the need for finding a soul mate and about connecting with others will have special appeal to those who enjoy a touch of magic."Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2009
Grades K-2 Pulitzer Prizewinning poet Williams pairs with Caldecott winner Gammell in this highly unusual take on finding a friend. The Nobble (imagine that name in a scrawly font, as it appears each time it is used) is a winged, long-eared, elf-like creature who has never met anyone. This is mostly because he hangs out in unpopular placesin the space between Wednesday and Thursday, for instance. Gammell imagines these locations as part of a twisted netherworld of vines and clouds and floating stones. But when the Nobble ventures into the normal world, the landscape is overwhelmed bymysterious rectangles with windows andloud, wheeled machines.Soon he is being accosted by a thing, with two long things, and two other long things, and a round thing on top, otherwise known as a girl. This girl introduces the Nobble to a second (female) Nobble, and a happily ever after is implied. The Nobbles continual world-play confusion will delight those listening to aread-aloud, though the subtle, pastel rendering may require much closer scrutiny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)