“This interactive, imaginative book opens with the drawing of a single line, used in each illustration that follows. Edwards charges the reader to identify that line in each of the completed illustrations. (It’s a tough game, but don’t worry, there is an answer sheet at the back.) Readers are then challenged to complete the story that each page introduces. Sometimes the prompt is an action (“Mr. Wolf was about to give up searching for his pet duck when…”), other times a rationale (“He preferred to write his own music because…”). This variation will keep readers on their toes, and the colorful illustrations created with watercolor, pencil, and gouache will continually surprise with unexpected depictions: an elephant in an umbrella, dinosaurs popping out of a king’s balloons, a dog whose reflection is a cat. This is a charming reminder of the importance of a single line, and the fun of the creative process. Pair with Christopher Myers’ My Pen (2015) for a different take on the power of the pen.”
—Edie Ching