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Monday, March 4, 2013

Andrew Drew and Drew, written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg. Abrams, Canadian Manda Group, 2012. $17.95 ages 3 and up

"Andrew
thought
that
making
a
drawing...
was like making...

MAGIC!"

This lively book will seem like magic when you share it with young artists, and entice their imaginations with this little boy's adventures in art. When we first see Andrew he is sharpening a number of pencils at a large desk, and a white wall that displays two drawings. We quickly learn that 'Andrew was a doodle boy'.

Oh, what fun! A pencil line crosses an almost double page spread that leads right to him. The action of line drawing is stopped just prior to the edge and we turn the page, allowing us a look at a pair of eyes which, with another partial page split, turn into an open-mouthed hippo (?) whose bottom jaw becomes a path for a skateboarding pig!

As he creates his own world with his doodling, Andrew reminds readers who might remember him of Harold, who created a new reality with his purple crayon. This book should  lead parents and teachers to look back at that iconic little book...something that I am sure would delight Barney Saltzberg.  Andrew's joy in life comes from creating, and the magic of those images he creates will have young readers going back again and again to admire the fruits of  his labor.

I love the flaps and gatefolds, and I know that kids will, too. It is always so intriguing to see where a line might lead. Get out the white paper, a pencil and see where your imagination can take you!

For a little taste of Andrew's artistic ingenuity, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/m5jeZJ8Renw

This book would be perfect to accompany Anthony Browne's The Shape Game, Peter Reynolds' Ish and The Dot, and Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon. Don't let the list stop there!

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