Maranke Rinck; Illustrations by Martijn van der Linden
Lemniiscaat/Boyds Mills Press
This book is absolutely stunning! Brilliant illustrations radiate from backgrounds of solid black. It's unusual to find a children's book printed in all black, which is a shame, because this one is downright gorgeous. The illustrator relies on both bright colors and beautiful patterns to create drawings that command the readers' attention.
Five friends are fast asleep in their hammock when they are awakened by a strange sound. One by one, the animals investigate by feeling their way in the darkness, but cannot agree on what animal is making the noise. Turtle feels a giant foot and thinks it must be a turtle. Bat insists it is a huge bat after he touches an oversized wing. Octopus feels an enormous tentacle, Bird claims a large beak, and Goat discovers an enormous goatee. What could this possibly be?
Aside from being a really beautiful book, this is also a darn fun read. Children will enjoy the excitement that builds with the turn of each page, offering up their own theories on the unknown animal that stands in the darkness. After the group manages to solve their mystery, six friends pile back into the hammock to finish their nap.
Also from Maranke Rinck:
Posts
