PIP'S BOOK

In this tale reminiscent of “The Mitten,” a chick helps a very long dog find room inside a book.

A bug-eyed yellow chick named Pip welcomes everyone to their book. Light blue speech bubbles and vast negative space draw attention to the tiny protagonist. Pip asks readers if they can invite Timothy Vanderlong, “the longest dog in the world,” into the book. So begin opportunities for interaction in this gentle comedy. A dog nose sneaks onto the verso, with light blue shadow below. The stark white background makes the otherwise ordinary appendage intriguing, especially when Pip encourages readers to “pet his nose gently.” The warm instructions and cheerful illustrations throughout the brief story strengthen readers’ interest in and enjoyment of books by making everyone feel part of the adventure. As Timothy tries to squeeze himself onto a spread, children learn about supportive friendship as well as physical space limitations. Wiggly kids can stretch and coil just like Timothy, building their imaginations. The only bit that may be confusing for adults reading with children is that Timothy’s speech is not captured in speech bubbles but in bold black floating text. There is a missed opportunity for creating color-coded speech bubbles, which would help younger children distinguish character dialogue. A satisfying foldout page to help fit Timothy and the sweet entry of Elly the elephant (or at least Elly’s foot) add pops of tame surprise. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A small story with countless interactive opportunities.