As a bird flies by, he has an idea. He gets busy with his plan. Then he waits. The bird is foiled by his crafty little pink-worm-painted stick and Toto hitches a ride on the bird's back, high up into the tree!
But. Uh-oh and consarnit. It's the wrong tree! How will Toto get down??
This is one inventive, persistent, courageous and gorgeous character, who children will absolutely love.
Toto's Apple has the most divine 'Dick and Jane' voice that has such a delicious sort of pantomime-style humour to it--and a humour kids simply adore. You can just hear them calling out 'look out for the bird!' as the story unfolds. It works so beautifully, along with the present tense format that gives the narrative a fresh and modern feel.
Lavoie's simple, graphic style illustrations are also fresh and modern, featuring lots of white space and the use a harmonious colour palette on uncoated paper, making it a smile-causing peruse that's reminiscent of Japanese picture books.
A real treat of a book that will delight kids of many ages, as Phaidon books so often do. A keeper.
Title: Toto's Apple
Author/Illustrator: Mathieu Lavoie
Publisher: Phaidon, $24.95
Publication Date: 19 September 2016
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9780714872513
For ages: 2 - 6
Type: Picture Book
