Oskar can... by Britta Teckentrup

I'm always fascinated by authors who can create books with very different styles; Britta Teckentrup has created nonfiction titles like the peek-through series, simple toddler books, and more reflective picture books. Her cut paper illustrations are very similar and yet she uses them for different effects in each title.

There is an earlier book about Oskar the raven, although I haven't personally read it. In this title, he is exploring things that he can do - simple things like jumping almost as high as his friend Mo, more complicated things like making the perfect cup of tea. The book ends by asking the reader what they can do.

The backgrounds are earth shades of green and brown, blue and cream. Oscar is a static image, set against each background with a few simple props - a soccer ball, red skis, and stack of stones.

Verdict: Artistically, it's interesting but I don't see it being a very good storytime choice. The things Oskar can do are so varied that they don't really parallel a child's experience (ski? ride a tandem bicycle?) and although it could be fun in a fanciful way it just doesn't really stand out. My favorite Teckentrups remain her peek-through and seek-and-find titles.

ISBN: 9783791373614; Published 2018 by Prestel; Review copy provided by publisher