May's Wild Walk

Gr 3–5—This French import tells the story of Maya, Mia, and baby May, who live in their (absent) grandfather's cottage. Mrs. Owl, the mail carrier, arrives one morning with a thump and a letter. The two older sisters read the message and immediately decide to throw a big party. Ignored by her busy siblings, May crawls into Mrs. Owl's mailbag and is carried out into the forest along with the invitations. Weighed down, the strap on the bag breaks, scattering all 358 letters and tumbling May into a startled bird's nest. Luckily, the forest animals all seem to understand May, and they help her gather the letters and spread the word about the party. This is a slight, somewhat off-kilter story. Manga-style illustrations that rely on a cotton candy palette establish a surreal tone. Mia is a teal cat (who stands on two legs and wears clothes), while Maya has paper white skin and pink hair and, despite a set of furry antlers, appears human. Baby May, also human, has enormous eyes with pink irises (and no pupils). The sisters' unusual appearance is presented without comment, adding to the strange tone.