The Power of Henry's Imagination

August 10, 2015
When five-year-old Henry can’t find his best friend Raspberry, a stuffed rabbit, Grandpa offers this advice: “You just have to imagine that Raspberry is with you—in this moment!” Given that Grandpa “knew more than anyone else who had ever lived,” Henry agrees and has “so much fun imagining his many adventures with Raspberry that he completely forgot Raspberry was lost in the real world.” As if on cue, the mailman shows up with Raspberry. Byrne and George are part of the creative team behind the self-help phenomenon The Secret (Bryne is the daughter of founder Rhonda Byrne), so it’s not surprising that the book’s message reflects a particular slant on empowerment. Still, it’s imaginatively rendered: George portrays all the action in highly distilled, two-dimensional ink drawings on brown paper backdrops, then adds real objects to bring the scenes to life. When Henry’s parents undertake the obligatory under-the-sofa search for Raspberry, George sprinkles the page with white cushion feathers, a keychain, a chess piece, threads, and lots of crumbs. It’s detritus that even the most Secret-skeptical families will recognize. Ages 4–8

Starred review from July 15, 2015
A five-year-old's imagination comes to his rescue when his stuffed rabbit goes missing. Raspberry, a cuddly companion with large and expressive ears, was a gift from Grandpa to Henry on the day he was born; the two are inseparable. After the rabbit disappears and the house is turned upside down during the search, Grandpa's "warm, knowledgeable voice" soothes the child, as does his suggestion to "imagine that you have Raspberry back!" George employs a minimalism that establishes an effective foil to the eventual blossoming of Henry's interior world. Characters, furniture, and selected objects are formed with gentle lines of ink and filled with the color of the background-a softly textured surface that shifts across a spectrum, from gold to charcoal. In the opening scenes, a leafy branch, striped shirt, and muffin with jelly are among the collaged elements creating interest along the borders. As the theater of the child's mind takes over, photographs of landscapes-filtered, to align with the subdued palette-are inserted. Then, artfully arranged salt concocts a snowcapped cave in which the boy and pet cook dinner; clothespins turn into crocodiles in a sea of fabric. Distracted with the pleasure of make-believe, the child even drifts off to sleep sans rabbit, although a special nocturnal delivery ensures a satisfying conclusion. Choice words and creative visuals combine to celebrate and inspire the mind's eye. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.