Let's Go, Hugo!

February 11, 2013
Hugo is a diehard Parisian boulevardier—which is a little incongruous, because he’s also a bird: “Hugo was content living on the ground.” But when Hugo meets a soigné bird named Lulu, he realizes that his diversion tactics can’t make up for the fact that he’s actually afraid to fly. Will Lulu say “au revoir”? Dominguez (Ava Tree and the Wishes Three), in her first outing as both author and illustrator, lets this tale about facing one’s fears unfold through wordy, literal insights (“I was afraid of the dark,” a helpful owl tells Hugo, “but then I realized all the wonderful things I was missing”), rather than the bubbliness or bon mots one might expect, given the flying theme and Parisian setting. But the story is buoyed by her gifts as an artist. Dominguez’s characters, constructed from substantial geometric shapes, have a wholly original look, and her scenes of Paris’s grand outdoor spaces exude a feel of en plein air, with thick black outlines, tissue-paper textures, and liberal white space lending a dash of French hauteur. Ages 3–5. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt.

February 15, 2013
Tone and artwork mix beautifully in this endearing tale about overcoming a debilitating fear. Sporting a jaunty scarf, a little yellow bird named Hugo lives on the grounds of a park in Paris. One day, Lulu, a fellow bird, notices him building a sculpture of the Eiffel Tower and offers to take him there. Hugo is able to delay her without confessing his fear of flight, suggesting a tour, a snack and other activities. It is only when he realizes that his fear may limit not just his dreams, but also his friendships that he swallows his pride and asks for help. The front endpapers depicting Hugo's solo amusements are neatly complemented by the back endpapers, which feature Hugo and Lulu together. The book charms from the start, but Dominguez excels with her slow revelation of Hugo's qualms. When readers first meet Hugo, his on-the-ground life appears to be one of choice, not one forced by fear, so this neatly introduces children to the truth that people find ways to hide their fears out of shame. The tissue-and-ink artwork presents surprising textures and rich colors, certain to make a Parisian out of any willing reader. A story that could have been pinned to the ground by didacticism instead soars. (Picture book. 4-8)

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March 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-An uplifting story about conquering fears and making friends. Hugo, the scarf-sporting avian protagonist, prefers walking to flying. He enjoys his ground-based Parisian life, making art instead of nests. While building a model of the Eiffel Tower, he meets Lulu, who invites him to the real landmark. He distracts her with land-bound activities until nighttime falls and she leaves. Saddened by her departure, Hugo admits his fear of flying to Bernard the owl. The old bird wisely remarks that "everyone is afraid of something," and teaches Hugo to fly. With more practice and encouragement, he conquers his fears and befriends Lulu. Mixed-media illustrations delight with rich colors, subtly textured paper backgrounds, and varied perspectives. Drawn with almost stick-figurelike simplicity, the birds charm with their vivacious expressiveness. Playful endpapers feature Hugo engaged in his creative pursuits in the front papers and playing with Lulu in the back pages. Pair this with Rob Scotton's Splish, Splash, Splat! (HarperCollins, 2011) or Melanie Watt's Scaredy Squirrel (Kids Can, 2006) for additional inspiration for anxious youngsters.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2013
Preschool-K Hugo is a bird who likes his activities close to the ground. Truth be told, he is afraid to fly. So when a cutie named Lulu asks him to fly with her to the top of the Eiffel Tower, he comes up with plenty of excuses for them to do something else: playing in the park, splashing in the fountain, going to the ballet. But Hugo feels he let his new friend down, and he asks a wise old owl for help with his phobia. Here, the story takes a familiar turn as Hugo learns everyone is afraid of something. When Lulu reappears the next day, Hugo confesses his hesitation, but with the help of a good woman, he soars. What sets this story apart from others with the same basic arc is Dominguez's delightful ink and tissue paper collages. Though the lead characters are simply executed, with black ink outlining and highlighting their basic shapes, the Paris setting is neatly captured. Parisians lounge in the park, gas lamps add effect, and the Eiffel Tower looms over the city. A charming little ode to overcoming fear.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)