Up to Seven

On the way to market for her mother, Lucy imagines her wagon to be a stagecoach, train, circus wagon, and even a spaceship. A straightforward text describes her actual trip while cozy, soft-focus pencil drawings reveal her fantasy.

In this brightly-colored interactive concept book, a rhyming text challenges readers to decide what grows—Ducks? Bears? Owls?—and what might not—Trucks? Caps? Washcloths? Cleverly designed gatefolds add storytime drama.

Vibrant collages on high gloss paper assembled from zippers, wood, buttons, twine, metal, tree bark, screws, and textile fragments brilliantly convey the droll story of a young pet-owner’s belief that dogs really can talk.

Seamlessly integrating intricate stamps of antique engravings with unpretentious line and wash drawings, McDonnell introduces the young Jane Goodall through her favorite things: a stuffed chimp, The Alligator Society, and treetop perches (where she read Tarzan books and dreamed of living among African animals). A surprise photograph at the end shows Goodall’s dreams did come true.

A perfectly happy red square finds new shape and purpose as it is cut, torn, and crumpled, reforming itself each time into something new, beautiful, and even more colorful. The simple text combined with striking illustrations will encourage creative play.