Review by Booklist Review
The fantastical porcine island community created in Ice (2011) faces another dilemma in this equally imaginative, wordless companion book. Once again Geisert's meticulous etchings, with nearly hidden nods to the journey in Ice, tell the wordless story. In the middle of the night, a dandelion seed, giant in proportion to the pig inhabitants, lands on the island. After the pigs' careful cultivation, the seed produces a lush dandelion flower. When an erupting volcano sends lava raining down on rooftops, the pigs hurriedly pack supplies for survival and use the dandelion's abundance of wispy seeds to flee to a different terrain. One of the concluding dramatic scenes depicts the volcanic island's complete destruction, with greenery flourishing on a new land not far in the distance. The inventive story, which should be savored slowly to appreciate the nuanced details, provides a rich start to discussions on natural resources and creativity. Readers can't help but wonder what exciting adventures further await these ever ingenious pigs.--Leeper, Angela Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The nomadic pigs that first appeared in Ice return in another intricately illustrated, wordless story, first published in France. One day, a large, broomlike plant lands near the pigs' island village. The pigs cut off the stalk and plant its seedpod, and, over time, dandelion flowers emerge. When a nearby volcano starts spurting lava, the pigs gather their belongings and use the dandelion tufts as parachutes, landing safely on another island. Geisert's etchings unfold with grace and understated drama; enigmatic details should urge readers to imaginatively participate in the open-ended story. Ages 4-up. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Geisert's famous pigs are back for another wordless adventure. During the night, a giant dandelion seed blows into town, and the pigs waste no time planting and caring for it. As it grows and buds, it becomes apparent that the mountain towering over the village is actually a volcano. When sparks begin to fly over the town, the pigs calmly gather their belongings and trek toward the now-established, enormous dandelion plant. In organized, cooperative fashion, they scale its stalks, and as the seeds take flight each bears a pig or two clutching its stem. The pigs fly away from the blighted island through the night and in the morning find safety on a lush new island. Though the story line is one of chaos and destruction, the pigs never seem worried or fearful; they have a plan, they care for one another, and everything works out fine. While some will enjoy the book just for the whimsy and adventure, kids experiencing turmoil in their home lives-whether through natural disasters or family dissolution-may be comforted by the characters' journey to safety. Geisert's engravings are as beautiful as ever; the spread showing the pig-laden dandelion seeds silhouetted by the moon is a particular standout. Some fans may miss the intricacies of the earlier titles, as this one is fairly straightforward; however, it is a solid choice for collections in need of wordless books or where the artist is popular.-Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In a follow-up to Ice, illustrated with Geisert's signature etchings, the same island community of pigs is threatened once again by environmental disaster. This time it's an active volcano about to blow on the edge of the pigs' tiny island home. Luckily, the threat coincides with the arrival of a giant dandelion seed, which the industrious pigs plant and tend. The dandelion blooms and then goes to seed, just in time for all the inhabitants to catch rides on the seed-bearing parachutes as they fly off to the next island over. It all looks like fun until we get a sobering view of the original island devastated by the volcano's eruption, before turning the page to see the pigs standing on their new, previously deserted island, surrounded by the debris of fallen dandelion seeds. But no worries -- these pigs are destined to regroup and rebuild. The book's unusual trim size (6 inches tall by 10 inches wide) gives the wordless double-page spreads a wonderfully panoramic view: we can see the entire island and all its residents in one sweeping glance before we stop to study all the small details. kathleen t. horning (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A welcome addition to Geisert's gratifying series of wordless oddments features a volcano, a giant seed pod and, for sure, a bunch of pigs. A gathering of pigs live on an island. Don't ask why, just get into the mood, as you did with Geisert's recent production, Ice (2011), a story of another bunch of pigs living on an island, with different problems, but solved no less phantasmagorically. The pigs reside in a compound of very natty sties built at the foot of a towering volcanic peak. One day, the sea winds blow a super-colossal dandelion seed to the island. Unlike fastidious gardeners, who would have beat the seed to a pulp and tossed it in the waves, the pigs rally their forces in a terrific earthmoving project and plant the seed. Which is a good thing, for as the weed blossoms grandly, as dandelion seeds will, the volcano also gets active, raining blobs of molten lava down on the pigs' homesteads. All of Geisert's etchings are things of antique beauty--feasts for the eyes, the dandelion leaves alone are print-quality items--but the hail of lava has an otherworldly sinister loveliness. With the volcano spelling their doom, the pigs hitch rides on the gargantuan dandelion fluff to a neighboring island. This is a story of magic, etched with an everydayness that encourages readers to invite wonder, even bewilderment, into their lives. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
