Freddie & Gingersnap Find a Cloud to Keep (Freddie & Gingersnap, 2) - Hardcover

Kirsch, Vincent X.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1423159764 ISBN 13: 9781423159766

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2015

Synopsis

Freddie and Gingersnap meet a cloud. It's a peculiar cloud. It sings a song. It asks questions. It knows magic. And Freddie wants to keep it. . .but Gingersnap knows you can't keep a cloud. Or could you?

Enjoy this winsome reminder that sometimes the best and only place to keep something wonderful is in the heart.

About this title

About the Author:

Vincent X. Kirsch is an illustrator, designer, toymaker, and writer. His work includes illustrations for the New York Times Book Review, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of Natalie & Naughtily, Two Little Boys from Toolittle Toys, and Forsythia & Me. Learn more at vincentxkirsch.com.

Review:

Two friends off on an adventure have an unexpected encounter that leads to new discoveries and a sense of satisfaction. Readers familiar with their eponymous first outing (2014) will remember that Freddie, a skinny green dinosaur with sharp teeth, and Gingersnap, a pink and purple dragon with a bow on her single, straggly hair, overcame their differences to become friends. Newcomers, however, may have a bit more trouble initially figuring out just what kinds of animals they are and why they are tangled together, flying through the sky (courtesy of Gingersnap's wings) in search of clouds. Straightforward sentences capture their mildly contentious debate about whether anyone can own a cloud. Then suddenly they come upon a hot air balloon with two singing children inside. Mistaking the balloon for a cloud, both are captivated by how friendly and engaging this particular "cloud" is-even more so when the young pilot apparently conjures up a magical thunderstorm. Black outlines and intense colors show up well against the mostly blue backgrounds, while the textures of paper and paint add visual interest. Like its predecessor, this also features a double gatefold midway through; however, this one does little to enhance the slight plot or heighten the atmosphere. Though the story is simply told, the overall effect is somewhat cryptic, making it a challenge to connect with these characters and their quest. (song lyrics, score [not seen]) (Picture book. 4-6) Kirkus"

In their second outing, Freddie the dinosaur and Gingersnap the dragon are on the hunt for a cloud; Freddie wants one of his own, but as Gingersnap reminds him, "No one can keep a cloud." What Freddie thinks is a cloud turns out to be a dirigible piloted by a young aviator and magician, who pepper them with questions ("Is it fun being a dragon?" "Do you like being purple?"), sing a song, and conjure a storm before finding their way home. Freddie and Gingersnap's world is a trippy, nonsensical one, where just about anything can happen (a puffy cloud waves goodbye to the departing dirigible), and the magical is treated as matter-of-fact. Ages 3 5. PW"

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1423159764
• ISBN 13: 9781423159766
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Kirsch Vincent X.