FICTION

Pax and Blue

illus. by Lori Richmond. 32p. ebook available. S. & S./Paula Wiseman Bks. Feb. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781481451321. POP.
COPY ISBN
PreS-K—A child, a friendly pigeon, the great big city, and a very busy mom set the stage for grand adventures on the subway. Pax visits his friend Blue, a pigeon, each morning with a bit of toast. But one morning, Pax's mom is in a rush and Pax walks right by Blue. What is a pigeon supposed to do but follow his best friend? Blue finds himself in a horrifying situation—he is lost on the subway and the humans are upset! Luckily, Pax is there to save the day and help Blue along his way. Bold, dark lines and washes of color in ink and watercolor bring a jolly tone to even the scariest moments. Small clues lead readers to think that the child lives in New York City, but the crowd scenes have a muted watercolor wash over the people and seem to obscure the diversity of the city. The climax of the narrative is an expressive close-up of Blue's face when the bird realizes the problem—humans do not like pigeons on the subway. This scene is a full spread that will delight storytime crowds. This is a simple but exhilarating adventure for the child, the bird, and readers.
VERDICT This charming tale in which the importance of friendship lights the way back aboveground to safety is a solid addition to younger storytime collections.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?