What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,
Plus What I Did Last Week, Featuring John Hendrix

h1 November 20th, 2015 by jules

Last week at Kirkus, I wrote here about Tom Angleberger’s McToad Mows Tiny Island (Abrams, September 2015), illustrated by John Hendrix. Today, let’s take a peek inside the book. If John Hendrix’s art doesn’t wake you up this morning, I don’t know what will.

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There have been a lot of discussions this week about refugee resettlement in the wake of terrorist attacks across the globe. My column at Kirkus today was prompted by that and some thoughts on responding with compassion — and three older picture books, in particular, that come to my mind. That link is here.

Enjoy John’s art below!



 


“Every other day of the week he mows the grass on Big Island.
But Thursday is the day he mows … Tiny Island.”

(Click to enlarge spread)


 


“The train takes the lawn mower to the airport.
A conveyor belt carries the lawn mower to an airplane.”

(Click to enlarge spread)


 


“A crane lowers the lawn mower onto the island.”
(Click to enlarge spread)


 


“McToad mows Tiny Island.”
(Click to enlarge spread)


 


“McToad pauses. He drinks a glass of lemonade.
He puts a little oil in the lawn mower.”


 


“Then … The crane lifts the lawn mower onto the boat. …”
(Click to enlarge spread)


 



 



 

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MCTOAD MOWS TINY ISLAND. Copyright © 2015 by Tom Angleberger. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by John Hendrix. Illustrations used by permission of the publisher, Abrams, New York.





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