My rating:

Have you ever stared at a blank page, not knowing what to write? That's exactly what the boy in this book faces. In Jeffrey and Sloth, Jeffrey can't think of what to write--so he doodles instead. And one of his doodles, a sloth, comes alive--and starts insulting Jeffrey and telling him what to write. At first Jeffrey co-operates, but pretty soon he gets tired of being bossed around by the sloth, and rebels by writing a story about the sloth, making the sloth do what he wants. Jeffrey and Sloth touches on something many writers, artists, and anyone who's faced homework they hate will identify with--the blank page.

Winters' concept of having the doodle come alive and having Jeffrey be prodded into creating a story is both creative and fun. The beginning text moves quickly and completely swept me into the story, but later some of the dialogue felt a bit clunky, and the story slowed down . . . .

My rating:

In a society where people increasingly escape their lives through TV and remotely connect with others through the internet, without really exploring the world, using their senses, or depending on their own creativity, The Pink Refrigerator is refreshing. Dodsworth, the owner of a small thrift shop, likes lounging around, doing nothing—aside from his brief trips to the junk yard where he finds things for his shop. But one day he finds a pink refrigerator that has a simple note on it: "Make pictures." When he opens the refrigerator, he finds it full of paints, brushes, and a sketchbook. His first instinct is to sell them in his shop. But then he finds himself painting—and enjoying it. The next day when he goes back, the note says: "Read more," and inside there are books. And so it goes, with the fridge encouraging Dodsworth to play music, cook, garden, and explore the world. Dodsworth moves from doing very little of anything and having a dull life, to exploring creative outlets, having a sense of wonder about the world, and exploring the world. This book encourages readers to explore their own creativity, and to directly interact with the world, not just passively watch it through TV, movies, or being online.

Egan's text is immediately engaging. The voice of the narrator is familiar, as if talking directly to the reader ("Now, this isn't to say"), and its colloquial tone, with modern-speak woven in ("just for the heck of it," "whaddya know") is not overdone . . . .

My rating:

Art is a boy who enjoys making art, and his excitement and delight in creating art are contagious. He runs across the pages, spattering paint, drawing images, and generally having so much fun it makes you want to paint right along with him. If you're looking for a book that encourages you to be creative and have fun, check Art out.

McDonnell (The Gift of Nothing) uses an enjoyable double play on art (the medium) and Art (a boy), right from the opening. The most fun in that double play comes through sentences that could have a double meaning, such as "There's no stopping art when art is inspired," which can be read both as there's no stopping someone's art or creative bent when it's inspired, and as there's no stopping Art, the character, when he's inspired . . . .

My rating:

Imagination is a powerful thing, and can make even a simple cardboard box into a great toy. In Not a Box, the young bunny is questioned by an adult as to what she or he is doing in or on the box—and the bunny insists that the box is not a box. The bunny doesn't tell us in words what the box is, but the illustrations do. This is a delightful reminder of the power of imagination, and the freedom of play.

Portis' text is spare, and tells only half the story; if you were to read it without the illustrations, it might even seem boring. The real magic happens in the interplay between the text and the illustrations; the illustrations show what the box really is to the young bunny at that moment—a race car, a mountain, a fire to put out, a robot body. There is a perfect interaction between the text and the illustrations, each adding to the magic, while neither would work on their own. . . .

My rating:

A boy is tired of being a boy, so he becomes an alligator by donning an alligator head and tail his aunt sent him. He gets reassurance from his father that he's still loved, though his mother worries until a vet reassures her that the alligator-boy is well, just needs to be fed and taught to spell. So the alligator boy goes to school, where he scares off a bully, engages in activities in school, and feels happy.

Alligator Boy is a delightful story about a boy who uses his imagination and a few props to change how he sees himself and his world—and how others see him, too. It shows how a little imagination can bring some pizzaz to ordinary things. . . .

My rating:

An ordinary boy goes through his life, not knowing that he's missing out on anything (although the images show us he is) until a new teacher introduces him to creative writing and thinking--and suddenly the boy's world bursts into color and possibilities. The boy discovers that he loves to write, and that it feels like magic. McNaughton (author of the Preston Pig series, and many other picture books) and Kitamura (author/illustrator of Pablo the Artist (2006) and many other picture books) have created an enjoyable story of the delight of learning to write fiction.

The text moves from an almost lyrical rhythm, with the repetition of "ordinary," to more creative language (the music "swooped and danced and dived" and "it was as if a dam had burst in his head and words just came flooding out"). . . .

My rating:

Ramon loves to draw; he always has. But one day, when his brother puts down his drawing of a vase, Ramon loses his love of drawing. He starts to become a perfectionist, judging his drawings the way his brother did, and hating them. He can't make anything look like he wants it to, and he just keeps throwing his drawings away.

Then Ramon catches his little sister taking one of his crumpled drawings away. He follows her, and finds his drawings plastered all over her room. Her favourite is his drawing of a vase, which she says is "vase-ish." Through his sister's eyes, Ramon is able to become free with his art again, and to love the "ish-ness" of his art, which is unique to him. He regains his happiness, and also learns to savor "ish" moments.

Reynolds (Dot) has crafted an important book about accepting yourself and the way your creativity emerges. The story reminds readers that they can be creative in their own way, and that they don't have to be like everyone else. It lets readers know that art doesn't have to look realistic; that it's the feeling that it evokes in others that counts. And it gently tells readers to listen to themselves, and to do what makes them feel good--not what other people expect and want. . . .

My rating:

Katie's feeling lonely and gray. The painting hanging on the wall looks colorful and fun. So she gives herself some color by dressing in bright colors and painting herself. That's when she flies into the painting and spends the afternoon there, until she's feeling better, and washes everything off in the bath.

The paintings show Katie's emotional and mental state beautifully, moving from a colorless Katie standing in a pale blue background, the only other colors being the interesting painting on the wall, to more and more controlled splashes of vibrant color as Katie gradually dons clothes and paint. Katie's smile also grows with the color she adds. . . .