Claymates

Starred review from April 24, 2017
Two lumps of clay—one gray, one brown, both with big, googly eyes—sit on an artist’s worktable, waiting to find out what they’re going to become. “Probably something wonderful,” says the gray lump. Human hands painstakingly sculpt them into a wolf and an owl (Owl: “That took a really long time”; Wolf: “And it was sooooo boring”), then depart, at which point the creations realize that they don’t need someone else to give shape to their imaginations. The gray clay reshapes itself into a short-snouted “pig-e-elephant” while the brown clay goes from being a giant peanut to a splendid peacock; in another sequence, they see who can transform into the flattest or smallest species. Composed of photographs arranged in comics-style panels, this book initially seems like an odd duck: a story about claymation, minus the animation? But it works: Petty’s (I Don’t Want to Be Big) punchy, dialogue-only narrative and newcomer Eldridge’s expressive sculpture give these clay buddies a surplus of personality—their self-reinventions and attempts at one-upmanship are a giddy mix of naive and naughty. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Kilkelly, Rodeen Literary Management.

Starred review from April 15, 2017
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what's going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration--expressed as a tangled black scribble--reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a "pig-e-phant" doesn't come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to "fix [them]selves" on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naivete of the "clay mates" is perfectly captured by Petty's feisty, spot-on dialogue: "This was your idea...and it was a BAD one." Eldridge's endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist's work table to great effect. The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own. (Picture book. 5-8)

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July 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-After an artist leaves, two hunks of talking clay begin molding themselves, testing the limits of their physical forms and their imaginations. The gray blob, originally designed as a wolf, goes from an elephant to a snout-nosed "Pig-e-phant," while the brown blob, sculpted to be an owl, turns into everything from a peanut to a walrus. The two continue to stretch and bend into different forms and animals until they hear their artist coming. But how are they going to change themselves back?! Petty, author of I Don't Want To Be a Frog, has written another wonderfully humorous story, but this one embraces the characters' desire to shape their own identities. The clay lumps play off each other well, quickly escalating the situation until it hilariously spins out of control. But the real star may be Eldridge's models, since this title is not drawn but rather told through a series of photos of actual clay figures. Each design is vividly detailed and expressive; the characters clearly revel in the challenge and are excited by each transfiguration, and the look of panic on their faces as they try to change back is priceless. VERDICT Another win for Petty and a great debut for Eldridge. A highly recommended read-aloud.-Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

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