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PICTURE BOOKS
Naylor-Ballesteros, Chris

Out of Nowhere

40 pp. | Simon | March, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-5344-8100-8 $17.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-5344-8101-5 $10.99
(2) K-3 A spiky-horned beetle narrates this contemplative story of friendship, growth, and connection. The insect is alone on the edge of a cliff when a red-and-white spotted caterpillar arrives "out of nowhere." The two develop a relationship and a comfortable routine of picnicking and moon-gazing. Then, one morning, a bright red chrysalis hangs from beneath the cliff, just out of the beetle's view. The beetle has not seen the friend's transformation and doesn't understand where she has gone. Looking through a spyglass reveals a flash of red in the distance, so the beetle packs up and journeys into the unknown, singing while passing potential predators (a frog and bird). Just as the insect approaches the red mushrooms it mistakenly identified as the caterpillar, a red-and-white butterfly is shown emerging from the chrysalis. It flies to the beetle--"I felt as if I'd seen her before, but at first, I couldn't quite put my finger on where. Then I looked more closely. And I just knew"--and the friends are reunited in their new location. The bold red color pops atop the otherwise monochromatic art, which appears to be rendered with charcoals or dark pencils. With its oversized character eyes, grayscale hues, and emphasis on cycles, growth, and the natural world, the book is reminiscent of the work of Brendan Wenzel (They All Saw a Cat, rev. 11/16, and others).
Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

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