Review by Booklist Review
In softly wobbly colored-pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, Pray opens her latest picture book with a cross-section view of a chaotic, bustling house filled with noisy animals, kitchen messes, energetic kids, and an exasperated mom preparing to depart for a visit to the woods. As the family wends up a mountain road, the tension doesn't dissipate: a grumpy rain cloud follows their car while older sibling Smudge misbehaves in the back seat, and when they finally start their hike, Smudge pointedly refuses to listen and wanders off. Though this is the only literal moment of being lost, it's clear that the family needs to find its way both back to the main path and to one another, and with the help of Smudge (who demonstrates he actually has been listening), they eventually do. Pray capably depicts the expressive faces and body language signaling the nerve-jangling havoc of the out-of-sync family, as well as the calming natural beauty of their surroundings. Adults will recognize familiar struggles, and kids will be heartened by impish, clever Smudge's ability to solve a problem.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Smudge's family packs up the car and drives to the mountains for a picnic and a day in the great outdoors. His grandpa tells them that moss grows on the north side of trees and cautions him to stay on the trail because the paths are marked with trail markers and stones, but Smudge is a busy, playful child and moves the rocks as he frolics through the woods. He does not need markers, he claims. He is an explorer. Smudge ventures far away. It is not until he hears animals snorting and snuffling in the undergrowth that Smudge becomes afraid and realizes he is lost and alone. As fear sets in, Smudge tries to retrace his steps, but he is lucky his family is looking for him, too. When they reach each other, Mama, Grandpa, and Smudge work together to find the right path out of their predicament. Following the moss on the trees just as Grandpa taught them, they make their way back to the clearing and to where they left their car. Being lost isn't such a bad thing after all, if they are lost together. Pray uses subtle watercolors and colored pencils to capture the beauty of the surroundings and the facial expressions of each character. Smudge is shown as a brave adventurer and a bit of a troublemaker. Baby Willa appears sweet and angelic, and Oni the dog is playful and joyous. VERDICT An additional purchase, this is nevertheless a sweet book celebrating family, togetherness, belonging, and love.--Pamela Thompson McLeod
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A chaotic household tries to reset by heading out for a forest hike. It's hard to enjoy the serenity of nature, though, when no one will help Mom, Grandpa keeps telling old "worn-out" stories, toddler Willa won't stop fussing, and dog Oni is all worked up. Least cooperative of all is older sibling Smudge, who stubbornly responds to Mom's request for good behavior, "Absolutely I will NOT!" Smudge continues to complain while wandering off -- only to get the entire family lost. Pray depicts the group's less-united moments with empathy instead of judgment and gives Smudge the opportunity to make amends for earlier transgressions by using memories of the day's rocky start ("And here! The berries I threw!") as landmarks to guide them out of the woods. "Maybe being lost together makes us sort of found, too," muses Smudge. Pray uses watercolor inks and colored pencils to contrast the family members' frazzled disconnect from one another with the beauty of the outdoors; the jewel-tone foliage becomes more vibrant and defined as the family grows closer. An ultimately cozy portrayal of a day that begins as memorable for the wrong reasons, only to end with Smudge's loved ones learning to find their way -- together. Emma ShacochisJuly/August 2024 p.109 (c) Copyright 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 family trip gets off to an inauspicious start. Mom, Grandpa, two unruly kids, and the family dog drive to the woods for a picnic and a hike. When they arrive, elder child Smudge, who narrates, runs off to climb a tree, ignoring Mom's admonition to wait. The smart-alecky Smudge repeatedly responds to Mom's requests with a defiant "I will NOT!" Good-humored Grandpa shares his outdoors knowledge--"Moss sometimes grows north"--wisdom that goes unheeded but will prove useful later. Smudge tunes out and runs off again as ever-harried Mom, struggling to control the dog, warns the child not to wander off. Does Smudge get lost? Yep--then the little one finally pays attention. Fortunately, the family soon finds Smudge. But now they're all lost! Smudge is contrite: "Are we all lost because of me?" Grandpa reassures Smudge that it's OK; everyone's together. Happily, Grandpa's earlier guideposts and the landmarks they passed help them correct their course. In the end, they're able to appreciate a spectacular vista--together. This high-spirited story is notable for its portrayal of loving and very realistic family dynamics. The lively, impressionistic illustrations, created with watercolor ink and colored pencil, capture the family's relationships and scenic outdoors. The family presents East Asian. A tale readers will easily get lost in. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
