Ollie & Moon

 

Random House

Diane Kredensor ;Photographs by Sandra Kress

Diane Kredensor is an Emmy award-winning children's television director and artist. More importantly, she loves cheese a whole bunch. This is her first children's book, and it was inspired by cheese. That's a good reason to do anything, right?

Ollie loves to surprise his best friend, Moon. And there is nothing Moon likes better than trying to figure out those surprises before they have been revealed. She is tickled pink when Ollie stops by her apartment to let her know ... he's got a surprise in the works. Let the guessing commence.

This pair resides in the heart of Paris, so they are decidedly chic, as evidenced by Ollie's striped shirt and tiny beret. En route, they stop at the fromagerie, where Ollie reveals the surprise is round, just like Brie they are snacking on. Riding the Metro, Moon ferrets out that the surprise is also musical. As they get closer to the surprise, the combination of clues is more confusing than helpful. Moon has no idea what this round, bright, spinning, musical surprise is going to be. She is starting to wonder: will she even like it?     

Sandra Kress has provided actual, beautiful photographs of Paris, that serve as the backdrop for the brightly colored characters. It's a cute way to present the story. I like that even thought the story features a pair of cartoon cats, we still get a real life peep at some great scenery. Even the row of bicycles and toilette is quite different from the American version. And yet Ollie still drags along a scrap of toilet paper on his paw when he emerges.

Review copy provided by Random House.