Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Dispensing with typical biographical details, this tender look at the life of beloved children's book creator Arnold Lobel (1933--1987) launches with a defining moment: a serious childhood illness that kept Lobel home for an entire year, and his later sense that he was "a bit of an outsider, which was often hard on the inside." But this isolation also enabled Lobel to develop his powers of observation, grow as an artist, and read voraciously, and fueled his determination to become a storyteller. With economic, understated prose and gouache, pencil, and ink vignettes that nod gently to the subject's own drawing style, Kastner (So Tortoise Dug) follows the author as adulthood finds him entering marriage and parenthood, becoming a frustrated artist in the corporate world, and eventually finding his way to work as a "professional daydreamer" who "trusted young readers with bold, beautiful words." The inspiration for his Frog and Toad series strikes during a family vacation in Vermont, when he notices that frogs "seemed to smile, as if caught in a pleasant daydream," while toads appeared "quite introverted and dyspeptic." By slowly connecting Lobel's "outside" and "inside" selves, the work provides a powerful example for anyone navigating their own layered identities. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note concludes. Agent: Hannah Mann, Writers House. Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
This picture-book biography of Arnold Lobel (1933-1987), which somewhat mimics the look of Lobel's Frog and Toad series, explores his life through the lens of things that inspired his art and storytelling. As with many authors and artists, childhood illness encouraged Lobel's introspection: "He spent months in the hospital drawing and reading and drawing some more while he recovered, watching the outside from the inside." Quirky illustrations in gouache, pencil, and ink suit Lobel's personality. The typeface, placement of text on the pages, and liberal use of spot illustrations evoke the feeling of the early-reader format for which he is best known. Kastner focuses on Lobel's desire to bring what was inside himself out into the world, as well as his twin interests in nature and the comforts of home. She has an eye for details that will pique children's interest, such as that the adult Lobel kept a gorilla suit in his closet and had a pet turtle named Wilbira, and mentions his late-in-life coming-out with a light touch. Readers will get a sense of Lobel's life, work, and personality in a book that's as warm and vibrant as his best characters. An author's note, a source list, and a list of published works give curious readers more to explore. Adrienne L. PettinelliNovember/December 2025 p.86 (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
An ambitious encapsulation of the life of children's book author Arnold Lobel. "This story begins with a boy and a pair of wet socks." Those socks, damp because their wearer was playing in the snow, resulted in a cold and then an ear infection that led to young Arnold missing a year of school. He drew during that time, honing a talent that didn't always impress the other children. A bit of an outsider, "Arnold enjoyed being a quiet observer" and relied on that ability throughout his life. Opting to incorporate elements of Lobel's books into the story visually rather than textually, Kastner makes sly allusions to her subject's oeuvre throughout her biography; she renders Arnold's time in the business world, for instance, in the colors of Lobel'sThe Great Blueness and Other Predicaments (1968). Kastner handles the unenviable task of attempting to explain the dissolution of Lobel's marriage with mixed success; in a somewhat vague moment, Lobel tells his family that "there [is] more love for him to find," and an accompanying illustration shows him fishing with partner Howard Wiener. While the book doesn't rise to the succinct brilliance of Jerrold Connor'sJIM! (2025)--a biography of Lobel's friend Jim Marshall--it nonetheless places the creator's works within the context of his life with admirable skill. Backmatter includes a three-page author's note, a list of sources, and an impressive bibliography of Lobel's works. A deeply loving paean to a deeply loved book creator.(Picture-book biography. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
