Flyaway Katie

"With minimal text and zesty cartoon art, the captivating heroine of this cheerful debut imagines herself out of a gloomy mood. Stuck inside on a 'gray, gray day' with 'no one to talk to except herself,' Katie initially looks gray, too. She quickly decides 'the picture on [her] wall look[s] like a much better place to be,' and announces, 'I need some color.' Dunbar's mixed-media illustrations gradually transform the gray scene as Katie dons a green hat, yellow tights, blue shoes, etc. (kids learning color concepts will be tickled pink). She even paints her face blue and her arms with orange stripes until she gradually resembles the birds in the painting. With the words 'a flittery/ fluttery/ flighty/ fizzling!/ Whoosh!' accompanying five pages of accelerating, fireworks-like bursts of colors, Katie flies into the picture on the wall and plays with the birds, 'until it [is] time to fly home for her bath!' Dunbar keeps the text streamlined and simple, adding Katie's reactions in speech bubbles throughout. When the heroine introduces herself to the birds ('Hello, I'm Katie!'), each bird amusingly answers with the same single bird word: 'Tweet.' The magical makeover, a literal flight of fancy, will make readers' spirits soar, too. Ages 2-5. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Strange and wonderful things happen when a little girl lets her creativity fly in this buoyant picture-book debut. It's a gray day when Katie decides to liven herself up. So Katie puts on her brightest clothing, takes hold of a paintbrush, and lets her imagination take flight. Full color.

Polly Dunbar has a degree in illustration from the University of Brighton in England. She says, "FLYAWAY KATIE is about the ability we all have to change our mood and make ourselves feel happier. All you need is a bit of creativity and a lick of paint! I certainly feel much brighter when I put on my best blue shoes." Polly Dunbar lives and works in London. This is her first picture book.