It's always exciting to see what has come from the talented and perceptive mind of Brendan Wenzel. You see a book with his name on it and you get curious about where he is taking us. Turns out this time we're off to the land of animals, endangered animals, to the fun of thinking how the pair on the page might be the same, connected somehow, and above all, we're into the land of playful.
The first spread opens with a pair of cats facing each other with a welcome, "Hello Hello." One is white and one is black. What is the same about them? Any Hottentot can get that one. Turn the page and a row of adorable animals who have clearly been anticipating our arrival peeks out at us to play the game...what connects them with the previous page and what connects them to each other?
If all you do is follow the eyeballs in this book, you will be highly entertained. Each creature is clearly engaging with the others and occasionally with us. But the game goes forth with color and noses and patterns and poses. It's a party, a celebration of the wonder and beauty and the utterly brilliant variety of creatures in the world around us.
He created all of this for us in a fascinating "variety of media." The guy just zooms in our focus to bring us closer to these animals some of whom are endangered or threatened. There is also a hint of the message that differences can be a source of wonder and that zooming in to know more about someone who is different can begin with one word, "Hello."
Great read aloud...get your group to look closely and see how the animals are the same and how they are different as you turn the magical pages. Perhaps talk about how people can be different too...and how we all have things that are the same about us, that connect us. Don't you just love picture books?
52 pages 978-1452150147 Ages 4-7
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
*********
A new picture book from Brendan Wenzel, the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Honor-winning author of They All Saw a Cat!
Hello, Hello! Beginning with two cats, one black and one white, a chain of animals appears before the reader, linked together by at least one common trait. From simple colors and shapes to more complex and abstract associations, each unexpected encounter celebrates the magnificent diversity of our world—and ultimately paints a story of connection.
Brendan Wenzel's joyous, rhythmic text and exuberant art encourage readers to delight in nature's infinite differences and to look for—and marvel at—its gorgeous similarities. It all starts with a simple "Hello."
The book includes: • An afterword from author Brendan Wenzel about the importance of conservation and protecting the wildlife on our planet. • A glossary of the animals featured in the book and a notation on their status (Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered).
