Pobble’s Way Review

Written by Simon Van Booy, Illustrated by Wendy Edelson

Need the perfect bedtime story for your little one?  Go on an adventure with Pobble, her father and the cute woodland animals.  Pobble uses her imagination as she explores the woods around her.  A feather is a “tickle stick.”  Winter mushrooms are “Frog Umbrellas.” As they are walking, something falls out of Pobble’s pocket and lands in the snow.  Now it’s the animals’ turn to figure out what this small, soft, pink thing is.  Squirrel thinks it’s cotton candy because it smells so sweet.  Mouse thinks it really is  a mouse house.  My favorite one is Owl-she thinks it’s a wing warmer.  Bunny thinks it’s a carrot carrier.  Deer smiles at her silly neighbors as she tells them it’s really a mitten.  She tells them they will see why it’s none of the things that they imagined it to be.  They are all delighted when Pobble says it’s a baby cloud- except for mouse, who has fallen fast asleep.  Pobble and Daddy finish their walk home as the moon pulls her white blanket across the tree tops.

This sweet story  has a rhythmic quality that makes it perfect for naptime or bedtime.  The illustrations are beautifully done and add just the right gentle quality to the already soothing prose.  Pooble’s Way is perfect for children ages 3 to 7.  It’s sure to be one of those books your child asks you to read over and over again.

My favorite part of the story is when all the woodland animals are together and Deer asks them what they are arguing about.  Each animal finds the best use for that cute, pink mitten.  A mouse doesn’t need a carrot carrier, but it would be a perfect mouse house.  This teaches children that with  imagination, anything is possible.  If you believe it, it can happen.

My son’s favorite part is the map in the front and back of the book.  It shows all the animals’ homes and tracks, trails, ponds and more.  The detail is amazing and really sets the scene for the book.

All Flash Light Press books have free downloadable activities available through their website which are specifically great for homeschoolers.  Pobble’s Way even has a 2-Needle Mitten pattern for Kids, so you can make your own pink baby clouds, carrot carriers or mouse houses.  Not only is there a useful parent or teacher guide, but there is also a printable puppets page so children can act the story out with Pobble and her father and all the woodland animals.

Mom Does Reviews highly recommends Pobble’s Way for your child’s library!  It’s a sweet, imaginative bedtime story that’s soon to be a favorite.

 About the author: 

Simon Van Booy is the acclaimed author of The Secret Lives of People in Love, called “breathtaking” by the LA Times, and Love Begins in Winter, winner of the Frank  O’Connor Short Story Award (2009). His essays have  been published in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, and The Times (London). Simon lives in New York City, and this is his first picture book.

About the Illustrator: 

Wendy Edelson is a self-taught artist who has illustrated many children’s books. She has also created art for magazines, zoos & aquariums, libraries, and card & toy manufacturers. The woods and animals outside her home in Bainbridge Island, WA, inspire her radiant paintings.

 

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes.  I was not given any monetary compensation.  All opinions are my own.  This post may contain affiliate links.