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Friday, September 26, 2014

FLASHLIGHT, written and illustrated by Lizi Boyd. Chronicle Books, Raincoast. 2014. $19.99 ages 2 and up

"INSIDE A TENT IT'S COZY.

BUT WHAT IS GOING ON
OUTSIDE? IN THE DARK?

IS IT SCARY?

NOT IF YOU
HAVE YOUR TRUSTY
FLASHLIGHT!"

If you didn't have the chance to get out into nature this summer and look at the world with your flashlight in hand, you will want to have this book. It will give you a real feel for the experience without ever having done it yourself!

There is fun within its pages, and also an opportunity for quiet contemplation. You just need to check out the wonderful cover to have a sense of what's in store for you. The backgrounds are black, with silver moonlight allowing readers a bit of a peek at what is happening beyond the flashlight's beam. When we get within the beam itself, we are cognizant of so much more. There are bats, mice, a beaver pond and flags hung between nearby trees. That is a small part of all there is to discover.

As she did with the stellar artwork for Inside Outside, Lizi Boyd uses gouache to entice us with visuals that are sure to evoke memories of times past, or yearnings for new adventure. The same little boy returns for another wordless book of wonder. From the opening endpapers and title page through to the fun as the story winds up, young readers will love the warmth and security of nighttime exploration. Words are not needed; they might, in fact, get in the way of the imagination.

I could go on and on...and on! There is much to appreciate about the visual storytelling. Using small cut outs to engage readers and to move her story forward, Ms. Boyd reveals many tiny details from the natural world and happily draws those sharing the book from one page to the equally engaging pages that follow.

It is a book about keen observation and wonder. It is another of those delightful books that beg to be shared many more times than just once. Each time you look at it you will make new discoveries. PERFECT!
                                                                               

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