Lint Boy

Gr 4–6—Lint Boy and Lint Bear are dolls made of odds and ends collected together in a clothes dryer. They live happily in their comfy home until a doll-hating old lady kidnaps Lint Bear. Lint Boy now has to rescue his friend and all the other dolls who have been imprisoned by the evil old woman. In the style of a dark fairy tale, the artwork is charming—soft watercolors, done in a muted palette, enhance the cute but creepy feel of the book. The dolls, by their very nature, are somewhat wooden in appearance and attitude, but they are lovely to look at, and the fiery villain and her nasty dog more than make up for any lack of emotion in the toys. A major drawback, however, is the tangle of the story time lines—chapters jump around from present to past, making the panel flow confusing. This title is meant to be an amusing modern fable of the importance of champions—no matter their size—and the power of teamwork. It certainly has all the required elements to captivate its target audience, but only if young readers are able to unravel the complexities of the plot.