A nervous hedgehog meets a rambunctious chipmunk in the inviting, exhilarating, laugh-out-loud Imaginoodles, about the power of imagination to overcome just about anything.
Henry is a hedgehog with a shyness problem. Whenever he is startled or frightened--"FWOOMP!"--he curls into a prickly protective ball. Not surprisingly, he prefers storybook adventures to the real-world kind. So, when he reluctantly meets his exuberant new neighbor, Chester the chipmunk, he is not prepared for the sheer number of antics that await. Chester is a whirlwind of creative energy who "meets" Henry by crashing into him ("FWOOMP"). Barely pausing for Henry to recover, Chester invites him to play. "So, what do you want to do? White water rafting?! Deep-sea diving?! Bobsledding?! Spelunking?! Tightrope walking?! Skydiving?!"
Overwhelmed, Henry listens to Chester wax poetic about the power of imagination, explaining that the ordinary things around them can be transformed into something extraordinary. While the "wizard Chester" brandishes his magical stick against a fantastical, vividly hued background of castles and mountains, Henry's dry commentary, shown in neutrally colored inset panels, provides comic contrast. While Chester sees "the wise and powerful Smartacus," Henry sees a garden gnome. Action figures and twigs become the "Trolls of the Tangerine Forest." When Chester fights the "Giant Air Squid in the Ocean of Forgotten Dreams," Henry narrates: "Blow-up toy in a kiddie pool." Finally, Chester has had enough: "Don't you want to go places and see things you've never seen before?" When Henry admits that he does, but he's scared, his new pal proves that he is a true friend. "Imagination... is about being silly and not caring what anyone else thinks."
Ordinary People Change the World series creator and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos uses sharp, clean lines and bright colors in this comic-book-style picture book. Eliopoulos cleverly uses panels to distinguish the imagined from the real, to enhance the humor, and to focus the eye on important and emotionally expressive moments. As Henry works to connect with Chester and his own imagination, the panels decrease, and the made-up stories become immersive, double-page spreads. Eliopoulos navigates everyday kid issues, such as shyness and insecurity, with humor and sensitivity. For all the children who think they would rather "read a book... instead" of adventuring, Eliopoulos (and Chester) opens a wonderful world: imagination turned to action. --Emilie Coulter, freelance writer and editor
Shelf Talker: A lively picture book demonstrates the magic that happens with a generous application of imagination on everyday objects and situations, even transforming a shy hedgehog into a fun, heroic friend.