FICTION

The Five of Us

by Quentin BLAKE
illus. by Quentin Blake. 32p. Tate. 2015. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781849763042.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Once upon a time, not long ago and not far away, there lived five friends. And they were all amazing. Angie could see things five miles away. Ollie could hear them. Simona and Mario could lift anything. Eric was "just as amazing," but readers have to wait until the end of the story to find out how. One day, these five otherwise perfectly ordinary friends decide to go on an outing in a large yellow bus driven by Big Eddie. After a lovely lunch beside a remote country road, Big Eddie is taken ill and the friends must find a way to get help quick. Simone and Mario carry him a long way until finally Angie and Ollie see and hear people they hope can help. Alas, a river gorge separates them by miles. This is Eric's opening. Up to this point mostly mute, Eric lets out a gargantuan "HELP!" that results in a speedy helicopter rescue. In his inimitable style, Blake has once again crafted an allegorical tale sure to be understood by even the youngest of readers. With a refreshing simplicity of design and not a smidgen of superfluous text, this book grants readers the freedom to focus on the enchanting illustrations.
VERDICT A fine addition.
Reviewed by Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA
Each of five friends -- Angie, Ollie, Simona, Mario, and Eric -- has a fantastic physical attribute, such as acute hearing or great upper-body strength. When they go on an outing to the country, they run into a crisis, and each of the talents is brought into play to cooperatively save the day. The story is plainly told, folktale-structured and linear except for one sweet conceal/reveal concerning Eric. The flavor of the outing, the joy the friends take in one another’s company, the beauty of the setting, the tension of the crisis, the mood of every character at every point, and the subplot of Eric’s promotion from fifth wheel to hero -- all are contained in the pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations. Blake’s line here is even looser and more energetic than usual, with every element -- from child to bird to bus to bystander to cheese-and-pickle sandwich -- suffused with personality. A loving celebration of diversity and inclusiveness is slipped in without comment: it is Mario, in the wheelchair, who can hold a couch aloft with a single arm. This is The Five Chinese Brothers for our time. sarah ellis
Five friends each have a fantastic physical attribute, such as acute hearing. When they encounter a crisis, their talents are brought into play to cooperatively save the day. The story is plainly told, folktale-structured and linear. Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations with a loose and energetic line suffuse every element with personality. This is The Five Chinese Brothers for our time.
 , Sep 01, 2015

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