Deacon and Schwarz are two of my favorite "quirky" book creators and I was eager to see what they came up with, especially as this title was also promoted by Elizabeth Bird.
The deceptively simple illustrations show a sea of yellow and in the midst of them, two eyes open and a beak twitches. Ergo is awake. Ergo discovers herself, wings, beak, legs. And that is all. "Am I the world? Thought Ergo." The picture zooms out to show the yellow blur of Ergo in a white-rimmed oval and Ergo continues exploring...
Ergo thinks, experiments, explores, and finally determines to break free "The truth is on the other side." Having freed herself from her shell, she can truly discover and explore the world. And what does she find? Well, you'll just have to read the book!
This is a a quirky, thoughtful, intriguing book that will work with a wide variety of audiences. Read it to toddlers and encourage them to explore themselves, stretching their legs, flapping their "wings" and then to look around them at what they can see. Read it to preschoolers who will get the joke of Ergo thinking all that's there is all she can see inside her shell and learn with them about how birds hatch from eggs. Read it with elementary school students and encourage them to imagine the world outside the "shell" of their homes, classrooms, and towns.
Verdict: Funny and illustrated with a surface simplicity that is actually multilayered with meaning, Deacon and Schwarz have created another read-aloud classic that will resonate with children and adults alike as they learn to explore their worlds and see what's on the other side of the shell.
ISBN: 9781536217803; Published August 2021 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher
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