Ike's Incredible Ink

Gr 1–3—Ike wants to write an incredible story and feels that all the reading he has done has prepared him for this moment. Unfortunately, what he expects to come easily does not, and he becomes frustrated with the process. So Ike does what every good author does: he procrastinates. He cleans, he searches for a favorite pen, and chats with friends. When the story still eludes him, he sets off on a quest to find what he has identified as the magical missing ingredient-ink! Ike seeks out everything he associates with the word "inky." A shadow is inky as are feathers from a certain bird. It is the third ingredient that shows that the protagonist will go to any lengths to make his perfect ink. He goes to the Moon. The idea that someone will go to such lengths to procure the perfect ink is fantastically silly. The art is done in, well, ink, but other items are digitally collaged to create a spontaneous and funny look to the book. Ike's attempt to blend together the ingredients but forgetting to put the lid on the blender will crack up young readers. The art is striking and great fun to explore. Kids will be drawn to the quirky book.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA