CHRISTOPHER SPROYNGEEZ AND DEEDLEKIN DOLL

Siblings cause mischief when they use magical powers at a shopping mall in Charach’s picture book.

In this picture book, Covid-19 is over, and Christopher Sproyngeez and Deedlekin Doll’s parents are so antsy to go shopping that they leave their kids unattended in the mall. The White kids decide, “It’s time / We made use of our powers!” Christopher leaps “like an acrobat,” while Deedlekin alters her appearance to resemble various characters, like Raggedy Ann and Anne of Green Gables. Both can fly. However, they must be “secretive” when flying to evade adult eyes: “If a parent / Called out the child’s name. / The spell would be broken— / A terrible shame.” The kids enjoy flying, but commotion ensues after they crash-land at the toy store. When shocked staffers snap photos of the siblings, nervous Deedlekin becomes Elsa from Frozen. Eventually, they return to their angry parents, who dock their allowances as punishment. Christopher acknowledges the importance of patience, and Deedlekin realizes that it’s best to stay herself, so they both resolve to stop using their powers. Their parents recognize an essential lesson, too—the desire to procure material goods shouldn’t be more important than supervising their children. The protagonists’ whimsical adventures will charm youngsters. Charach imbues the work with fantasy, creativity, and humor. Christopher and Deedlekin’s experience will inspire readers to demonstrate patience and respect, too. Catrinella’s digital illustrations capture the siblings’ escapades and ably depict featured background elements like boxes, bags, and the mall’s Canada geese sculpture.

A lively, fun tale that emphasizes thoughtfulness and deemphasizes materialism.