The Whisper
by Pamela Zagarenski
HMH Books for Young Readers (October 6, 2015)
Audience: Grades 1 to 3
Fiction * Imagination * Storytelling
IndieBound | WorldCat
About the book:
Step inside the pages of a little girl's magical book as she discovers the profound and inspiring notion that we each bring something different to the same story. Two-time Caldecott Honor artist Pamela Zagarenski debuts as an author in this tender picture book about the joy of reading.
My thoughts on the book:
This has been a good year for picture books. There are so many that I have loved and I don't envy the challenge facing the 2016 Caldecott committee. In addition to the ones coming from illustrators living in the United States, there are also so many amazing picture books coming from Canada or other countries.
However, I am excited that Pamela Zagarenski is from Connecticut, and with two Caldecott Honors to her credit, there is no doubt that she is eligible for a Caldecott.
So, I am putting it out there. I want this one to win a Caldecott on Monday, January 11, 2016.
The Whisper is magical and has lovely illustrations. Yes, the illustrations are very much Zagarenski's signature style. However, what she does with her illustrations is charming and produces a beautiful result.
In addition to the gorgeous illustrations, I was delighted with the story of a young girl who discovers how to use her imagination to weave stories. Though at first, the girl finds the idea of creating stories to be a challenge, her imagination and storytelling grows with each page.
In the background of the story is a fox who collected the words that had escaped from the book as the girl ran home. More of his story comes at the end.
I was excited to find this book during a recent trip to New York City. I loved it enough to carry it back to California with me. Look for a copy of The Whisper at your local Indie Bookstore or Public library.
Day 9 of 30 Days of Gratitude:
Today, I am thankful for picture books. For the amazing authors and illustrators who create beautiful books for us to enjoy like the one above. I am also thankful for how picture books have developed over the years and the technology that allow books to be produced in the way that showcases creative, imaginative works of art that also tell a story.