Hopefully the scarecrow

A girl lifts a smiling scarecrow onto his post, saying, "Hopefully, the scarecrow will keep the birds away." The straw fellow is pleased to discover that he has a name, Hopefully, and he's delighted when his friend arrives daily and reads him tales of courage and hope. Every fall, she puts him away in the shed. Every spring, she takes him back to the garden, until one year, she doesn't. A man hauls him out to the garden, where Hopefully waits for his friend while bolstering himself by recalling her tales of courage. Gradually, his smile fades. Finally, his friend arrives, restores his smile, and takes him to the library, where she reads stories to the children and the scarecrow, too. The gentle, smoothly written narrative revolves around the scarecrow, a silent, sympathetic character who asks for nothing but appreciates what he receives. The colorful, distinctive illustrations focus on the two main characters, who are often surrounded by a profusion of flowers that express the idyllic happiness of their times together. A simply told, emotionally satisfying picture book.

Friendship can withstand time and distance thanks to hope. A smiling scarecrow, "carefully crafted" and "wonderfully made," in plaid flannel and a straw hat, watches over a lush and vibrant garden. A brown-skinned, dark-haired girl places him in the garden each spring and reads him adventure-filled stories each day, making the scarecrow feel brave. When winter comes, the stories keep him company during long months alone in a dark tool shed. The girl's remark--"Hopefully, the scarecrow will keep the birds away"--gives the scarecrow his name and purpose. Excited about the next spring, which he is sure will be filled with stories from his friend, Hopefully is first perplexed, then lonely when someone else places him in the garden and months go by without any sign of his friend. One day, the girl reappears, having since grown up, and moves Hopefully to a new place--one filled with stories and which offers her intrepid friend a new purpose in life. Ideal for read-alouds, Houts' precise, evocative text employs rich vocabulary and will appeal to imaginative youngsters. Palacios' enchanting illustrations combine a vivid palette of reds, oranges, greens, and blues with an irresistible retro style that lends a timelessness to images of dragons, castles, sailing ships, and tiny scarecrow heroes that accompany scenes of the girl reading aloud. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A quiet, beautifully crafted friendship tale that's just right for storytime. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.