At the Pond

Starred review from December 1, 2019
This wordless narrative examines the assumptions humans make regarding their relationship to animals. The story opens in a forest clearing: A dog is tied to a pole next to the only house there. It's a gray world except for the yellow chain and collar. As the white owner and dog walk toward the pond, blue streaks bleed onto their heads and the treetops. A bevy of swans floats peacefully on the water, and one nuzzles the child's hand. Child and dog climb aboard, delighting in the friendly animals that emerge along with a range of spring colors and flowers on the banks. Removing the collar, the protagonist releases the pet to play--then places the restrictive object around the swan's neck. Immediately the color drains from the spread. In addition to skillfully advancing meaning and plot via his palette, Valério effectively employs the gutter to signal division and reunion. Simply drawn but expressive faces convey apology and forgiveness across the gulf as the chain is abandoned. Viewers will have much to ponder about the tension between love and control or freedom and belonging as lifeless, tangled trees contrast with sun-drenched, impressionistic compositions rendered in visible strokes of graphite and colored pencils, paint, and markers. A provocative drama inviting readers to question their own behaviors toward all of the creatures in their orbits. (Picture book. 3-7)

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February 3, 2020
Valerio (Friends) opens this wordless book with a bleak scene rendered in brown and gray. A tiny house sits in a grayscale forest; a dog is tied up outside, its bright yellow collar and chain the only spots of color. When a round-headed boy, also in gray, emerges to walk the dog, the sky suddenly shimmers with shades of bright blue, and the landscape around them transforms into a tropical-colored fantasyland overflowing with friendly dragonflies, rabbits, foxes, deer, and swans. One swan beckons the boy and dog to climb on its back, but when the child removes the hound’s yellow collar and puts it on the swan, the scene turns dark and stormy, and the other birds flee, the interspecies bonding breached. The boy apologizes, ditches the collar, and the world is colorful and bright again. It’s possible to be both intrigued by the ambiguous story and confused by its narrative murkiness, but with a little nudging, it may spark discussion about people’s complex relationships with pets and with animals in the natural world. Ages 3–7.

Starred review from March 1, 2020

PreS-K-On a drab, gray day, a little boy places his dog on a leash and they venture out for a walk in the woods. After a short time, a shock of blue draws their attention, and the two come upon a beautiful azure pond filled with white swans. One of the swans invites them for a ride, and they travel together from their monochromatic world into one of vibrant colors. Forest friends of all kinds come to the edge of the pond to interact with them, vivid flowers and butterflies cover the landscape, and the little boy soon releases the dog from his chain to play on the shore. When the little boy goes to place the leash around the swan's neck instead, everything changes, causing the boy to question the world he thought he knew. Young children will love the accessibility of this wordless picture book. Though this is a simple story at first glance, its themes run deep, and readers will carefully consider the restrictions in their own lives and how they connect to friendship and love. Each image is richly decorated. The glossy pages and emotive characters draw readers in, inviting dialogue between young children and their caregivers. VERDICT This is an important story for readers of all ages to reflect on love and what is required to earn and keep it.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2020
Preschool-G This wordless story begins in a cottage in the dark woods, where a little white dog sporting a yellow leash waits to take a walk with a child. As they walk, they see a beautiful blue pond replete with a flock of swimming birds. One swan invites the boy and his dog to climb on its back for a ride. More colors emerge as bright pink flamingos populate the grassy edge, and orange foxes, yellow rabbits, brown deer, and dazzling flowers appear. It's time to take off the dog's collar so it can chase the butterflies. But when the boy attaches the leash to the swan, the colors begin to fade back to blacks and grays. The teary-eyed boy realizes he must release it and wave goodbye as the birds fly away. Full-bleed double-page complex illustrations move the story from monotones to brilliant colors, creating a magical world of joy. It's a clever way to allow readers to interpret meaning for themselves and to appreciate the beauty in the natural world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)