Synopses & Reviews
Ferdie doesnt want to go to school, but go to school he must, and fortunately his imaginative older sister Viola paves the way. First she urges him to put on his rocket blaster boots, which enable him to leave the house. When he stalls again she convinces him to take command of a ship in search of buried treasure, and at the next meltdown, she tells him that as a knight, his duty is to fight the fierce fire-breathing dragon who has stolen the princess. But then it is Violas turn to fall apart, and Ferdie, following her example, draws on his own inner resources and imagination to keep them on their way. The childrens fantasy world is beautifully illustrated by Cybèle Youngs intricate 3-D paper sculptures, which have been painted with contemporary urban images and then photographed for this book.
Review
Kirkus Best Children's Books of 2011"Beautifully illustrated with distinctive etched-paper collages, this is the rare story in which siblings offer mutual support rather than ripping each other to psychological bits
celebrates creative play and sibling cooperation in a way that feels very real." New York Times
"Youngs latest attempts to be many thingsa foray into a childs imagination, a touching tale of siblings and a stage for the authors elaborate paper sculpturesand it succeeds masterfully in doing all three
David Wiesner fans should give this a try
Amazing." Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Many picture books are built on the foundation of children's boundless imagination, and in her first solo effort, illustrator [Young] handles the theme with exceptional grace." Publisher's Weekly, starred review
Synopsis
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2011 and a finalist for the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award
"It was time for Ferdie and Viola to go to school. But Ferdie had eleven cars to wash, the highest tower ever to build and a snake drawing that wasn't done..."
Ferdie doesn't want to go to school, but go to school he must, and fortunately his imaginative older sister Viola paves the way. She tells him to put on his superfast cape and his rocket blaster boots and then off they go Time and again Viola uses her rich imagination to keep Ferdie on his way. But even big sisters get tired sometimes, and so Ferdie, following her example, draws on his own inner resources andimagination to keep them going.
Told through the eyes of a child, this ordinary event is transformed into a wonderful adventure. The children's fantasy world is beautifully illustrated with Cybele Young's intricate 3-D paper sculptures, created from paintings she made of contemporary street scenes.
About the Author
Cybèle Young is an award-winning artist who exhibits her exquisite paper sculpture (Japanese paper printed with etched copperplates) internationally. She has illustrated several books for children, including
Pas Harvest by Jan Andrews, which was nominated for a Governor Generals Award for Illustration, and
Jack Pine by Christopher Patton. She lives with her family in Toronto.