From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–From the moment readers encounter this book, they know that they've found something different. Rather than having a dust jacket, it is bound in bright red fabric, with the title and author embossed in black print and a small illustration centered on the cover. Inside, detailed hand-colored etchings match well with the quiet, mysterious story that unfolds. For the first time ever, JeJe is allowed to go to the library located deep inside the forest with his grandfather, the librarian. The boy takes his little red fish with him. He falls asleep and when he awakes, he notices that his companion has disappeared. Catching a glimpse of its tail, he follows it to an old red volume and when he opens the book, something magical happens. A wordless spread shows several fish spewing out of the tome. Seeing his pet still inside, JeJe reaches for it and falls into the pages. After several adventures–portrayed through illustrations only–he returns to the room with his fish in hand. He places the volume back on the shelf, hoping to visit another day. The boy's fantastical experiences will resonate with readers. The characters and setting are depicted in sepia tones; only the fish and the book are in eye-catching red. Due to its small size and the delicate nature of the artwork, this offering would work best for individual reading or one-on-one sharing.–
Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
Jeje brings his pet fish when he accompanies his grandfather to an old library. After exploring the dark, mysterious building, the boy falls asleep and awakens to find that the library has grown strange. After his red fish disappears from its bowl, Jeje chases flashes of red amid the gloom, and then finds a magical book that releases torrents of water and fish. He falls down into a book illustration and catches hold of a passing bird that carries him above the ocean. There he spies his fish, dives after him, and, tumbling out of the book, returns him to his bowl. Six wordless pages illustrate the boy's rescue adventure. The text here is subordinate to the dark, atmospheric etchings, tinted with shades of gray and sepia with touches of red. The book's scarlet cloth cover is as beautifully made as every other physical element of this well-designed volume. An imaginatively illustrated flight of fancy, this is the first picture book by Yoo, a Korean American artist. --
Carolyn PhelanBooks for Older Readers
Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
