These inquisitive strands of commonalities form the basis for Gervais’ eclectic bilingual word book, a hodgepodge of animals, vehicles, everyday items, and natural phenomena. Each spread opens to a catalog of things—faithfully rendered via stencils and brushes against mostly solid color backgrounds—collected around a declarative statement in all caps. “THINGS THAT SMELL GOOD” boasts a scrumptious apple cake, a lush rose, and a bar of soap. “THINGS THAT ARE FAST” presents a rocket in flight, a rather proud-looking ostrich, and an almost toylike race car. Groupings and page arrangements vary from spread to spread, as does sizing for each featured item, labeled by name in both English and Spanish. Flashes of playful, cheeky humor emerge in unexpected ways. Gervais juxtaposes morsels of popcorn with a formidable kangaroo under “THINGS THAT JUMP,” and on the spread labeled “THINGS THAT ARE STICKY,” she includes a jar of jam along with a toilet plunger. A few interludes, with an entire page devoted to just one thing, allow readers to draw unexpected connections between the mundane and everyday wonders. Under “THINGS THAT ARE…EXTRAORDINARY,” for instance, Gervais lists a rainbow, followed by a colander on the next page. Little ones who appreciate a more ruminative pace will find much to muse on here.
English (US) ·