Caldecott Honor and Geisel Honor Book What are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig-all toys arranged on a child's windowsill-wait for marvelous things to happen in this irresistible picture book by the New York Times-bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected? Waiting is a big part of childhood-waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen-but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings. Timeless, beautiful, and deeply heartfelt, this picture book about imaginative play, the seasons, friendship, and surprises marks a new pinnacle in Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes's extraordinary career.
"The short sentences of the text flow with the precision one would expect from a master picture-book creator like Henkes. Little ones, to whom each experience is new, will know what it's like to dream and wait."-ALA Booklist
I finally got to read this charming book. It seems like forever ago when I was in the heat of review copies that an ARC of this arrived. I glanced at it, loved the cover, admitted that I adore Kevin Henkes and commented to myself that this would obviously be a 5-star book and that I looked forward to reading it. Then apparently life happened and the kiddos absconded with the stapled paper pages and my review was yet to be had. However, it popped up on my radar again within the free trial of Kindle FreeTime Unlimited and I couldn't help but read it aloud this morning to my littles (5 and 2.5).
Now this winner of many awards is formatted well (as horizontal two-page spread images) for Kindle Fire and worth every award it has won. Kevin Henkes has created a special tale with gorgeous and tender illustrations. He uses words to tell a small story, but this book is also filled enough in a story of the imagery that it can work as a wordless picture book as well and be a full foundation of creativity between reader and child. For years, I have turned away from the idea of wordless picture books, but as I have been teaching year after year and the youngest of students pour through books by my side I can truly see the worth and this is a perfect one for it.
I have an early ARC of this book thanks to HarperCollins publishers. This review is based on reading the Kindle Fire version of this book. I definitely plan to want a real published copy for our shelf. Honest opinion and not required.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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29 January, 2020:
Finished reading
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29 January, 2020:
Reviewed
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Started reading
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Finished reading
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29 January, 2020:
Reviewed