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This picture book is PERFECT! Everything about this is so good.
BEAR CAME ALONG written by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
Look at this cover. Notice anything? No names! And this, at the very start, is just the beginning of why this book is so good...
BEAR CAME ALONG written by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
Look at this cover. Notice anything? No names! And this, at the very start, is just the beginning of why this book is so good...
Title page. Authors are credited. The story begins in the illustrations before any words are said.
Minimal colour. In fact almost entirely colourless except the bear, the river, and the title.
Minimal colour. In fact almost entirely colourless except the bear, the river, and the title.
& #39;Bear was just being curious...& #39;
Notice the crack in the log?
Page turn perfection
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
Notice the crack in the log?
Page turn perfection
" title="& #39;Bear was just being curious...& #39;Notice the crack in the log?Page turn perfection https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
You knew it! Bear is off and away down the river... And who& #39;s that hiding in the reeds?
Introducing a character and setting up the scene to come before we even know ithttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
Introducing a character and setting up the scene to come before we even know it
" title="You knew it! Bear is off and away down the river... And who& #39;s that hiding in the reeds?Introducing a character and setting up the scene to come before we even know it https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
Text only for the next panel, which is cleverly sandwiched between the above illustration and the next one. Just a short line that does everything it needs and no more. It makes it an adventure, and leads us straight in:
& #39;but he didn& #39;t know he was on an adventure...& #39;
Until...
& #39;but he didn& #39;t know he was on an adventure...& #39;
Until...
Yep. You guessed it. Froggy hopped on.
Notice the colour in the reeds. The colour is expanding the storyhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
Notice the colour in the reeds. The colour is expanding the story
" title="Yep. You guessed it. Froggy hopped on.Notice the colour in the reeds. The colour is expanding the story https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
And this is followed by animal after animal, all introduced by the same little hints and peeks suggesting their entry, and all the while the colour expands.
The illustrations are made in ever changing perspectives, keeping it fresh and expressing the wilds of the waterhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
The illustrations are made in ever changing perspectives, keeping it fresh and expressing the wilds of the water
" title="And this is followed by animal after animal, all introduced by the same little hints and peeks suggesting their entry, and all the while the colour expands.The illustrations are made in ever changing perspectives, keeping it fresh and expressing the wilds of the water https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
Before long, that log - now accompanied by a host of animals - is speeding towards the inevitable!
There& #39;s just one word to lead us in: & #39;until...& #39; the page turning device used throughout.
Being consistenthttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
But get this...
There& #39;s just one word to lead us in: & #39;until...& #39; the page turning device used throughout.
Being consistent
But get this...
But get this..." title="Before long, that log - now accompanied by a host of animals - is speeding towards the inevitable!There& #39;s just one word to lead us in: & #39;until...& #39; the page turning device used throughout.Being consistent https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">But get this..." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
... there are 3 - 3! - double spread illustrations working wonders (the following two are wordless), from three different angles, each adding to the suspense of the moment.
We& #39;re there with them, about to go over!
Making us feel part of the actionhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
We& #39;re there with them, about to go over!
Making us feel part of the action
" title="... there are 3 - 3! - double spread illustrations working wonders (the following two are wordless), from three different angles, each adding to the suspense of the moment.We& #39;re there with them, about to go over!Making us feel part of the action https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
& #39;Oh, what a ride!& #39; says the text. Relieving us and filling us with the joy shared in the each animals expression.
It IS a ridehttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
It IS a ride
" title="& #39;Oh, what a ride!& #39; says the text. Relieving us and filling us with the joy shared in the each animals expression.It IS a ride https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
And what a way to wrap it up!
A longer sentence to calm the excitementhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
A panned out illustration to depict the moment and show who else is watching this adventure with ushttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
Full, glorious colour, bathing the focushttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
A longer sentence to calm the excitement
A panned out illustration to depict the moment and show who else is watching this adventure with us
Full, glorious colour, bathing the focus
A panned out illustration to depict the moment and show who else is watching this adventure with us https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">Full, glorious colour, bathing the focus https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" title="And what a way to wrap it up!A longer sentence to calm the excitement https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">A panned out illustration to depict the moment and show who else is watching this adventure with us https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">Full, glorious colour, bathing the focus https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
But it& #39;s not done yet! None of this would have happened had the river not come along...
And that& #39;s the lasting message: lots and lots of different animals, enjoying each others company and sharing the joy of the river. It& #39;s a powerful metaphor, so simply put.
Way to endhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
And that& #39;s the lasting message: lots and lots of different animals, enjoying each others company and sharing the joy of the river. It& #39;s a powerful metaphor, so simply put.
Way to end
Then, something I always adore in books and wish it was done more often: a note from the author and illustrator. Touching words indeed.
Letting us in on the making of the bookhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
Then dedications.
And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc.
Letting us in on the making of the book
Then dedications.
And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc.
Then dedications.And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc." title="Then, something I always adore in books and wish it was done more often: a note from the author and illustrator. Touching words indeed.Letting us in on the making of the book https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">Then dedications.And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc.">
Then dedications.And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc." title="Then, something I always adore in books and wish it was done more often: a note from the author and illustrator. Touching words indeed.Letting us in on the making of the book https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">Then dedications.And then the & #39;making of& #39; info: the paints, the paper, the font, editors, etc.">
And finally, the back cover. No text. No names. Just a small barcode keeping to itself, on a scene full of peeks at the animals that are in this story.
Interactive on the outsidehttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">
This, to me, is better than a blurb. The illustration IS the blurb!
Interactive on the outside
This, to me, is better than a blurb. The illustration IS the blurb!
This, to me, is better than a blurb. The illustration IS the blurb!" title="And finally, the back cover. No text. No names. Just a small barcode keeping to itself, on a scene full of peeks at the animals that are in this story.Interactive on the outside https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✔️" title="Heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy check mark">This, to me, is better than a blurb. The illustration IS the blurb!" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
