"Percy looks around his new yard,
and he sees bees kissing flowers,
ants on parade, and birds putting
on air shows."
I've been hugging new books lately. This is one of them.
Percy's new house is not at all the same as his old one. In his bustling urban neighborhood, he always had someone to see and many activities to keep him busy. His new house is quiet and isolated. The only other house is past a fence and a distance away.
What does intrigue Percy is the smaller house near the edge of their property. His new yard has much to offer as well: bees, ants, flowers, birds, leaves and rocks. Percy becomes a collector of such natural things. He sketches, searches, and learns about different kinds of WILD ...
"He learns that sometimes WILD
means big and scary, and sometimes
it means small and sweet."
The strawberries he finds growing wild make a tasty snack. He contemplates a nearby pond from his tree perch, and examines the world of slippery fish. Night and day bring new discoveries ... and a decision to use the Percy-sized house to create a warm and telling place to call his own.
Double-page spreads throughout are designed using gouache and colored pencil. They offer a quiet serenity for a young boy who finds himself in unfamiliar surroundings. A few quick peeks at a neighbor and her dog suggest the chance to make a new friend. The call of his natural surroundings and its many wonders moves readers from page to page. Sweet and reassuring for those who might have experienced or are experiencing a move to a new home.
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