FICTION

Seen and Not Heard

by Katie May GREEN
illus. by Katie May Green. 32p. Candlewick. 2015. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780763676124.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 3—In this picture book, English children of Shiverhawk Hall scamper down from portrait frames at night and are quite naughty, except for two look-alike girls, who seem to be almost perfect. The youngsters, who vary in age and time period, stand perfectly still during the day, but when people are asleep they come out and on this particular night make a mess with "trifle" and "treacly goo." Reminiscent of the moving portraits in the Harry Potter movies, Green's digitally altered full-color pencil illustrations are similar in style to Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen and add to the magical scene. Though not a typical picture book for an American audience, it would be fun to use to talk about portraits or imagination or to offer to readers who want something a bit spooky to read.
VERDICT An additional purchase for larger picture book collections.
Reviewed by Jane Hebert, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL
In Shiverhawk Hall's nursery, portraits of well-behaved children are "seen and not heard." At night, however, these model children creep out of their portraits and wreak havoc all through "the big old house." The rhyming text and engaging illustrations are a hoot, even if the story isn't fully formed. Note the dog, cat, and mouse that appear in every double-page spread.
 , Sep 01, 2015

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