Lost in a book

Two adventurous boys, Oliver and Chad, are walking across the inexplicably enormous pages of a book one day when they notice warning signs saying, "Do Not Enter," "Stay Away," and "Don't Do It!" The curving page that they stand upon leads into the book's deep, dangerous gutter. They take a running jump, leaping for the safety of the page on the other side. Oliver makes it, while Chad disappears into the gutter, where a hungry lion lurks. Bicyclists, firemen, and a librarian offer to help, but like Chad, they fall into the gutter. Only certain people can rescue these amiable victims. Turning to the book's readers, the desperate characters plead for help, and soon they're calling their rescuers heroes. Britt, an award-winning editorial cartoonist whose career as a writer-illustrator began with The Most Perfect Snowman (2016), offers a more unconventional experience here. Knocking down the fourth wall, he involves his audience in rescuing those who fell into the gutter. Meanwhile, Britt's lively pictures draw viewers into the many amusing scenes in this droll, adventure-filled picture book.

Two best friends take a stroll through a book and discover a peculiar gulf between the pages. Although warning signs in all caps let Oliver and Chad know that peril lies ahead, they can't resist finding out what's on the other side. A giant leap over the mysterious gutter sinks Chad in the middle and strands Oliver on the other side. This ignites a parade of silliness that ensnares many people and things in the book's interior, including house painters, bicyclists, emergency vehicles, and even an entire zoo full of escaped animals. With help from a clever librarian, they get their minds, and bodies, out of the gutter and back into the book. In the interactive tradition of Jon Stone'sThe Monster at the End of This Book (1971) and Hervé Tullet'sPress Here (2011), this tale empowers kids to take charge of the characters' fates. Britt's energetic and entertaining writing should pull in even the most reluctant of readers. Big, bold cartoon illustrations infused with silly signs and onomatopoeia feature a diverse cast; Oliver is brown-skinned, while Chad is pale-skinned. It's a hysterical story with an uplifting message about the power of literature that begs to be read again and again. Warning: a funny and delightful book to get lost in.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.