Books Do Not Have Wings

A rhymed text explores the imaginary places where a book can transport a reader."It has pages and pictures, / a cover, it's true, / even words and a writer-- / and readers like you. / It can do anything / that you want it to do. / But this is not a book. // Because books do not have wings." All kinds of magical things can be found in the pages of this not-a-book. Readers whirl up a complicated agglomeration of gears into the clouds to clockwork cities and a pirate ship, as the text continues his protestations that it is not a book. Text notwithstanding, it's the artwork that evokes the imagination and captures the eye as two children, one dark-skinned with short, black, curly hair and the other fair-skinned with long, blond hair, experience various adventures. The illustrations blend the quirkiness of Henrik Drescher with the detailing of Graeme Base in vivid colors and intriguing images. The rhymes tend to get in the way of the images they are describing, however. "This, here, is a submarine, / a never-look-back, pretend-it machine, / to explore the depths / of the vast marine / with urchins, seaweed, / and schools of sardines. / Come closer, dear reader, / and see the unseen-- / this thing that's not a book." The repetition of the title phrase feels both precious and monotonous, muddying the conceit--which stands a very good chance of actually confusing readers. Overall, this misses the mark and won't wing its way to success. (Picture book. 5-7) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2017

K-Gr 2-A brown-skinned, black-haired boy and white, blonde girl embark on a series of adventures, exploring a whirling clockwork machine, a pirate ship, and a fairy forest, in this book that is not just a book. For "this is a sculpture, /some fine work of art, /a puzzle assembled, /for taking apart./It plumps up your thinker/and fills up your heart./And where you end up/is not where you start./Surely, it's more than a book." While richly detailed illustrations in vibrant colors encourage readers to closely examine all the whimsy and imagination each spread holds, the text brings this work down. The oft-repeated mantra that a book is more than its physical parts ultimately feels preachy, like an enthusiastic adult trying to sell kids on the wonders of reading. The words themselves are varied and descriptive, but the message gets muddled with phrases like, "Because books do not have wings." Surely they do, with all the magic they possess? VERDICT Those in search of precise, enthralling illustrations that can spin their own wordless story will enjoy paging through this title, but as a whole package, this selection misses the mark.-Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, St. Paul Public Library

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