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Friday, December 18, 2015

Lost. Found. Written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2015. $19.50 ages 3 and up

"When a stiff wind blows
Bear's scarf away, it's
lost.

When Beaver wraps it
into a cozy cap, it's
found.

Lost.

Found."

A perfect gift for little ones just learning the meaning of certain words and the joy of reading. It is a book about the concepts of lost and found, and how one thing inevitably leads to the other. The bear's red scarf is the most noticeable thing on the cover, the title page and the first page of action. As he trudges through the snow on a very windy day the scarf blows away.

Two raccoons are the first to see it, and each wants it for himself. A disagreement ensues, a chase follows, the scarf is forgotten. Once again, it is lost. A beaver finds it and creates a warm turban which gets tangled in a tree and left for someone else to find.

It isn't until all of the animals with previous knowledge of that lovely red scarf converge at one time that the scarf finally comes to the end of its journey. Each is not to be outdone by the others in an attempt at ownership, leaving the scarf a mass of wool scraps. Can they possibly work together to ensure its place in their lives once more?

Matthew Cordell ramps up the humor with his glorious watercolor and pen and ink art, and engaging sound effects. The scribbly lines create constant movement and discovery. He just makes the story sweeter and more entertaining for a host of little ones who will want to share it again - immediately.

                                                                         

2 comments:

  1. Oh, thank you for this lovely review about Lost. Found., Sal. I think you have it just right and the way you describe Matthew's images and brilliant additions is perfect.

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  2. It's a lovely story, Marsha. I love Matthew's work and together you created a very memorable tale for little ones!

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