A chest full of words

Treasure comes in many forms. Up until now, Oscar's daily digging has resulted only in a series of holes, but when he finds an actual chest, he imagines all sorts of wonderful things that may be inside. He is somewhat disappointed to find it full of words. Words, however, have their own value, as Oscar soon discovers. These words are transformational. Throwing fluorescent at a hedgehog turns the creature bright yellow, and slinging grandiose at a simple birdhouse converts it to a multilevel, turreted bird castle. The illustrations are great fun as Oscar explores the collection of expressive terms ranging from monstrous to bulbous to stripy to stark naked (for a plucked chicken). When the chest is empty, however, Oscar is downcast. A neighbor helps him discover the magic of words for himself in order to restock the chest and share the joy. Created by a Swiss duo and translated from German, the text, typography, and expressive illustrations work together to produce an entertaining and thought-provoking celebration of vocabulary.

In this Swiss import, words come to life--literally--as a young boy squishes, stretches, and hurls them through the air. Oscar digs up a chest filled with jumbled-up words. He pulls outfluorescent, straightens it out, then tosses it at a nearby hedgehog, who suddenly becomes awash in neon. And that's just the beginning. He useshairy to give an old oak tree a trendy new 'do, transforms a beetle into a hulking, "monstrous" creature (he quickly undoes that change withadorable), and, with help fromlightweight, lifts a backhoe in the air using just one hand. After Oscar runs out of words, he turns to a neighbor who has her own stash of words. She teaches him that he can find words just about anywhere, as long as he's observant: "Use them with care and you can make the world blossom." With her encouragement, he does just that. This vocabulary-rich story is visually striking and quietly powerful. Full of unusual words likebulbous,tender-leafed, andvelvety, it leaves readers with pages full of unnamed images ripe for the claiming. The illustrations are whimsical and playful while also making concrete something that is utterly abstract. Oscar's world has an exaggerated, off-kilter feel; with the earthy palette and changing perspectives, the art is a strong match for the storytelling. Most characters are light-skinned. Original and absorbing.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.