For anyone who may remember the iconic Harold and the Purple Crayon, this is a re-imagined wordless version in full color. Wordless books draw children into a thousand different versions of a story illustrated on the pages. A child can enjoy a wordless book on their own because they are not "missing out" on any words they cannot pronounce. Instead they are creating the story as they go. Having a caring "reader" to help guide discussion or ask a child what they think is happening is an excellent way to bond and reinforce oral language skills.
The opening shows a young girl leaving an art store with a pencil in hand. And how she uses that pencil is pure magic. Children will eagerly anticipate what comes next. There are so many beautiful details to explore visually. Children can imagine what came before the story began and what might happen after the book ends. There are elements of "I Spy" in the book with animals peeking out of a forest and I love the ending that defies logic. While whithin the pages of Pencil, a child's imagination and sense of wonder will be awakened. Older children will enjoy grabbing their own pencil and trying to copy the illustrations, making this a wonderful art study as well.
I highly recommend wordless books as a way to encourage children to narrate their own story and perhaps be inspired to create their own wordless books. I highly recommend Pencil for every public, school, or home library. This would make a fabulous gift in combination with colored pencils and a sketchbook--for those blank pages are the invitation to create another story!
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Pencil from Astra Publishing House through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.
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