What If Everything Had Legs?

PreS-Gr 1—A young girl trudging home with her mom on an urban sidewalk complains of fatigue and wishes their house had legs and could walk to them. So begins a mother/daughter "what if" game in which they imagine apples, rakes, rocks, toys, and other inanimate objects all growing legs and enjoying their new mobility. Now energized by her humorous visualizations, rendered in bold pen-and-ink cartoon drawings that are colored digitally and combined with photographs, the girl arrives home in no time. In a conclusion that kick-starts another imaginative scenario, she wonders: "What if everything had arms?" The simple text and wacky, hybrid illustrations of objects sprouting legs (and arms) combine for an entertaining read-aloud that will engage young children and stir up their own creative juices.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT