The Dreamer

July 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 3-"When pigs fly" takes on a whole new meaning in this fable about an aquamarine pig who dreams of flying with the birds he so admires. He studies, gathers materials, and tirelessly experiments. After an Isaac Newton-esque moment, he is hopeful; his friends come to help. He takes their advice to heart and finally creates a flying machine right out of Kitty Hawk. Emboldened, he shoots for the moon in a rocket ship. His friends also take flight-a panda in a hot air balloon, an octopus in a flying saucer, a fox with a jetpack. Still, in the end, sometimes it's nice to just admire the birds. Inspired by the author's own trials and errors in creating children's books, this offering is both whimsical and thought-provoking. The digitally composed ink-and-colored pencil illustrations feature pink elephants and green horses often against cream pages. One spread depicts the pig studying a chalkboard covered with diagrams and formulas; the front endpapers are filled with gray birds flying in different poses. On the back endpapers, observant readers will note the little pig amidst the birds, a feather in each hoof. Use in maker units or as an original modern fable. VERDICT A lighthearted story with a worthy message; perfect for storytime or one-on-one sharing.-Barbara Auerbach, Formerly at New York City Public Schools

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2018
Dreaming of flight, a mint-green pig plans, fails, perseveres, and triumphs."Once, there was a pig who admired birds." Wishing he could fly south with them, this impressively STEM-y fellow gets to work. "There was much to learn. // And gather. / But his first flying machines / fell / flat." Na humorously depicts the pig's elaborate initial diagrams on an enormous board. After many prototypes fail, the pig finds new inspiration, and a trio of animal friends comes to assist. "But even with help, it was not easy. // So he listened. // And modified. / Momentum built." The successful machine--looking like a cross between a biplane and a glider, the pig's red-shoed legs dangling underneath--leads him to even bigger aspirations. A later spread even shows him emerging from a rocket on the moon. Back on Earth, the pig's realized dreams ignite a whole city full of animals, who are shown gamboling aloft via balloons, jet packs, rockets, and more. Na's digitally composed ink-and-pencil illustrations contrast soft pastel compositions with starry nightscapes. As the pig continues to dream and observe--the last spread ends with the opening line--further experiments and rich adventures seem inevitable.Na's spare, gentle text, whimsical pictures, and stick-to-it message are sure to engage young readers who've got dreams of their own. (Picture book. 3-5)

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July 23, 2018
Picture books about land animals who want to fly abound, and they often end in failure. In this story by Na (Bird, Balloon, Bear), a mint-green, bird-admiring pig who wants to fly succeeds, eventually. His first flying machine, a sparsely feathered affair, doesn’t work, and his second jettisons him. His friends—a pink elephant, a variety of birds—pore over the pig’s plans and offer suggestions. “So he listened./ And modified./ Momentum built.” His next attempt, a biplane, soars, and so does the rocket that comes after it. Hot air balloons and personal copters soon float among the city buildings as others join in. The pig has created his own zeitgeist, but he continues to be himself—a pig who admires birds. In Na’s visual storytelling, expanses of white space give way to populated spreads as the project progresses, and the interplay of colors (the pig’s indigo pants and scarlet shoes against the gentle background) add drama. The analysis of the pig’s failures, complete with blackboard calculations, contributes to an atmosphere of cool rationality; success requires quiet judgment and hard work, Na suggests. Young aeronauts—and pigs—take note. Ages 3–5.

January 1, 2019
In this quiet story about perseverance and progress, a pig loves to watch birds fly and dreams of joining them. He ponders, experiments, "modifies," and succeeds in building a flying machine. "The world wanted to join him," and soon the sky is filled with lots of machines. As far as he flies, however, the pig still admires birds. Na's dreamy mixed-media illustrations match the contemplative text.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)