WELCOME TO MAMOKO

This Polish import will undoubtedly be compared to Candlewick’s search-and-find Waldo series, but the Mizielinskis have created a unique world that children will enter on its own merits.

Twenty-four animals and one alien are introduced on the opening pages, along with related elements to discover and the overall admonition to “Use your eyes and follow the adventures of each of these characters in every scene.” A family of five rabbits is on its way to the climactic carnival, but a delay ensues when the youngest goes missing. Readers glimpse only the sock and shoe of “shady” Clyde Snatchit until the last scene, when his theft (and identity) is revealed. This is a bustling, but not overwhelming, cluster of wordless scenes. From the golden morning in the neighborhood to the blue light of the evening fair, each spread has a different background palette, allowing a new array of the digital characters to stand out slightly with each turn. Whether on a piazza or at the waterfront, the diverse creatures behave in ways that children will find interesting; they encounter problems, help each other find solutions and exhibit a range of emotions.

Brimming with the dramas of everyday life and placed in a setting of swirling curves and diagonal lines, this is a book that children will pick up frequently, following the directions and enjoying the detours.