The artists

The first installment of the Tales from the Hidden Valley series features a curious cast of forest-dwelling beings. Fall is arriving in the Hidden Valley, but Ticky-a bluebird troubadour-is soon to fly south. Yula, a pink creature with plucky ears, is so busy creating a goodbye painting for Ticky that she misses his departure, then goes in search of her friend. Meanwhile, Sara-a fox-like girl with a red bob-follows swirling leaves as they blow through the forest. Their stories meet when the leaves land in a colorful, autumnal pile. Porta's roundabout storytelling, oddly endearing characters (including a mischievous ballerina with an onion head), and precise detailing are whimsical, though perhaps too strongly reminiscent of Tove Jansson's Moomintroll series. Readers may initially struggle to follow seemingly disparate story events, but the world Porta introduces is one full of gentle enigma. Ages 3-5. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Fantastical characters have an autumn adventure in this picture book, translated from Spanish and the first book in the Tales from the Hidden Valley series.Author/illustrator Porta has a whimsical style, both with words and pictures, and this well-designed picture book is filled with energetic and colorful illustrations that are lively in both their execution and subject matter. The storyline, though also vigorous, is a wee bit scattered: Birdlike Ticky is waiting for his friend Yula, who looks like a pink wolf and is always late, to come say goodbye before he flies south. Yula is engrossed in a goodbye painting for Ticky and forgets the time. Meanwhile, Sara, who's perhaps a fox, beats her drum and wonders where all the flying autumn leaves go; still drumming, she follows them. Yula's grandmothers (hilarious in both image and words: "Careful of the giant wave!") warn Yula about a gust of wind as she is emerging with her painting, and the painting is swept away. Yula chases after it. Meanwhile, Ticky gloomily decides to leave without saying goodbye, a mysterious tiny ballerina with the head of an onion saves Yula's painting, and eventually all the characters end up in a happy jumble in a big leaf pile. This flibbertigibbet storyline may confuse the first time through, but a second reading settles things down.Original, whimsical illustrations match a buoyant text to create good fun. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.