Pobble's Way
Simon Van Booy

Flashlight Press
September 15, 2010 / ISBN 9780979974663
Picture Book / Hardcover / Ages 4-8
Amazon

Reviewed by Jan Fields

This book begins with a cozy walk in the woods with Pobble and her father. Along the way, they play a game of imagining special uses for the things they see. A mushroom becomes a frog umbrella in young Pobble's eyes. Then when Pobble loses one of her soft pink mittens, the creatures of the forest seem to take up the game as they try to guess what this fluffy pink thing they’ve found could possibly be. The lovely watercolor illustrations render the forest creatures in a charming softness, but it's really the story that shines most in this book as people and animals demonstrate the creative process of looking at common things in whole new ways. The warmth of the father/daughter moments are also lovely, making this book a sure favorite when Daddy's picking the picture books to read at bedtime. I found the creativity and imagination delightful though I did feel like the book really merges two totally different stories -- the father/daughter walk and the story of the mitten -- and the seams show just a bit for me. Still, the opportunity to encourage creative imagination and observation in kids is always welcome and this is a nice addition to any bedtime routine.

Reviewer's Note: