I’m so excited to see reviews of “The Whole Hole Story” coming in. This fun picture book takes the reader on an adventure that’s only matched by a little girl’s imagination.
The Whole Hole Story Synopsis
In Vivian McInerny’s playful debut, readers will fall in love with wonder again as Zia imagines what might happen if the hole in her pocket became big enough to fall right through. The Whole Hole Story is perfect for readers looking for a fresh take on the classic Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Zia is used to the hole in her pocket—she frequently fills it with frogs and other objects. And as it gets bigger and bigger, she starts to wonder what might happen . . . if she fell right through. Would she cover it with a blanket to catch an elephant, or dig a tunnel to the other side of the world? The possibilities are endless, and readers will love following Zia’s adventurous imagination from beginning to end.
With hilarious wordplay paired with Ken Lamug’s bright and colorful illustrations, The Whole Hole Story will appeal to kids’ divine sense of silliness. Perfect for fans of Du Iz Tak?, and They All Saw a Cat.
The Whole Hole Story Review
Vivian McInerny, illus. by Ken Lamug. Versify, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-358-12881-6
When the hole in Zia’s pocket takes on a life of its own, is she daunted? Not at all, writes debut author McInerny, striking a genial, why-the-heck-not tone: “Zia might have been afraid except that this was an imaginary hole, so it could only be as scary as she allowed, which was, in this case, not scary at all.” In short and very fast order, the “obviously wonderful hole” becomes a fishing hole, a swimming hole, a watering hole, and then a portal to the other side of the Earth, which brown-skinned Zia traverses with a newly acquired elephant friend. Zia approaches each turn with a can-do attitude and attendant wardrobe changes, driving the giddy momentum forward as an “empty, muddy hole” becomes mud stairs “and more pies than she could count.” Lamug (Petro and the Flea King) portrays Zia as a perpetual motion machine who never does anything halfway, whether she’s celebrating her mud pie–making skills with a chorus line of baking utensils or chasing a mirror image of herself. With a charismatic protagonist like this, it’s a safe bet that this story probably won’t be the last. Ages 4–7. Illustrator’s agent: Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Agency. (Jan.)
Reviewed on 10/09/2020 | Release date: 01/12/2021 | Details & Permalink
