Review by Booklist Review
Liniers (Goodnight, Planet, 2017) brings his signature art style and quiet whimsy to this story of three sisters on an imaginative adventure. It begins with a bird's-eye view of an island where a plane has crashed, and the sisters set out to explore. They meet giant flowers, one of which declares one sister the "strangest wildflower I have ever seen!" They find a tiny gorilla living in a miniscule house set in a tree. They encounter a dragon, which sets them running through the glade. Each of these discoveries seems ephemeral, as the sisters quickly move on the next adventure. Liniers adheres closely to the particulars of childhood imaginative games, including some off-kilter moments, like when one sister cartoonishly loses a leg to the dragon or when another expresses inexplicable sadness. The fine-lined artwork, meanwhile, rendered in ink and rich watercolor washes, offers a compelling combination of realistic images (zinnias, the gorilla, tree bark) and stylized figures, echoing the way the sisters' game is inspired by their real-life surroundings. A winsome comic, perfectly pitched to emerging readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After a plane crash, three sibling survivors--two seemingly older girls and a younger one sporting glasses and a pair of yellow boots--find marvels exploring an island's jungle in this early reader graphic novel. "Look at these exotic plants," says one of the older children, gazing at a wall of huge, colorful flowers. "What does ECK-STO-TICK mean?" asks the younger. A flower speaks to the young child ("You are surely the strangest wildflower I have ever seen!"). She reports it to her older sisters, one of whom objects: "But plants don't talk!" She stands her ground: "These do because they are ECK-STO-TICK because they are in the jungle." Unexpectedly, in this moment and in others, she persuades them. While their surreal discoveries provide the action, the girls' closely observed interpersonal interactions add pleasure, too. Paneled art in ink and watercolor by Liniers (Good Night, Planet) imagines the lush greenery of the island in detail, with wildlife and dangers that quicken pulses before a gentle butterfly landing of an ending. Quirky and endearing, it's a journey both internal and external. Ages 6--9. (Apr.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Liniers (The Big Wet Balloon, rev. 9/13; Good Night, Planet, rev. 1/18) presents a charming celebration of nature, siblinghood, and imaginative play. As three sisters play together on a mysterious island (their backyard), they encounter a plane crash, a tiny gorilla, talking flowers, a dragon, and more. The dragon isn't vanquished until the magic of play is broken by a voice calling the girls in for dinner. ("Only reality can kill a dragon.") As the children run inside, visuals of their scattered playthings reveal the everyday toys and crafts that inspired their creative ideas. A smiley-faced flower in the final spread hints to readers that there might be more mystery in the world than we suspect. Liniers has a strong command of ink and watercolors, as well as of the comics medium, effectively employing panel sizes, close-ups, and layouts to build suspense and pace readers through the thrilling but never-too-scary adventures. Short sentences, repetition, and numbered pages offer additional support for beginning readers, a la Abby Hanlon's Dory Fantasmagory (2014). The sibling relationship is delineated with care and realism; the sisters enjoy the freedom of storytelling and look to one another for guidance as they build on -- and sometimes disagree with -- various narrative ideas. ("Giraffes don't growl! And we already have a tiny animal.") Endpapers show the characters featured amongst wildflowers in what resembles a spread from a field guide. Elisa Gall July/August 2021 p.118(c) Copyright 2021. 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
Three girls whose plane crash-lands on an island have an extraordinary adventure. Argentine American cartoonist Liniers applies both conventions of magical realism and a keen understanding of how children's minds work to this weird and wonderful story. It opens cinematically, gradually revealing the plane at an angle, nose buried in trees, and a line of speech-bubble dialogue emanating from the margin: "Where are we?" In answer, on the next page, the tallest of three White girls says, "There was a terrible plane crash…and now we're stranded on a mysterious island with a jungle." The girls are obviously unhurt, so readers can relax and enjoy the protagonists' explorations. They find some "exotic" wildflowers ("What does eck-sto-tick mean?" asks the youngest), one of which remarks that the girls are "the strangest wildflower[s it's] ever seen"; a sign that reads "Only Reality Can Kill a Dragon"; a tiny house inhabited by a miniature gorilla; and, of course, a dragon. It appears that dragons eat only wildflowers, and since the girls are wildflowers…"AAA!!!" Alas, that sign was only too accurate, however, and when an adult voice summons the girls to dinner, the island is reduced to an ordinary backyard and its inhabitants to toys. Readers who've had similar adventures will happily immerse themselves in this one, Liniers' careful lines, limpid colors, and graphic-panel framing creating a reality that honors children's imaginations. The book is available in two trim sizes: a standard 6-by-9-inch early-reader trim and a 7.5-by-11-inch "gift edition." Like children's backyard play, sheer delight. (Graphic early reader. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
