"BEHOLD!"
Zapfino is a circus performer of renown, and entirely unpretentious. The ring master is loud in his introduction, promising a LEAP FOR LIFE! Zapfino climbs the ten-story ladder and looks down upon the crowd before making his announced leap. He looks, and bends, and looks at readers. Without any hubbub, he disappears from the diving board. The crowd and the ring master are stunned.
With a turn of the page, readers will learn that Zapfino makes his exit from the circus tent and heads straight to the airport where he boards a plane for a coastal destination. As he makes his way along a beachfront street, he sees a man with a sign; JOB! ROOM! He is standing in front of a tall building. Zapfino applies, is given a uniform, a room, and a job as the elevator operator.
He proves himself to be a warm and welcoming man to all who enter his place of work. When the day is done, he returns to his room on the top floor of his building, exhausted. After a night's sleep he returns to his post. His days pass in exactly the same way, until the day he burns his evening meal, filling his room with smoke. To save himself, he makes his way to the ledge outside his window. From there, he makes his famous flying leap onto a firefighters' jump net, and bounces off safely and with great flourish. The following day he is back at his job!
Marla Frazee's always wonderful illustrations were 'rendered in black Prismacolor pencil on Dura-Lar matte film'. Her many vignettes inside the elevator will attract careful attention for the stories they tell. The two settings couldn't be more different. Still, readers will feel the terror and wonder of Zapfino's marvelous performance, and cheer loudly for him start to finish.
This mostly wordless book is pure delight. I can't wait to hear the conversations when it is shared with my grandkids. THE GREAT ZAPFINO is a treasure.
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