Puff by the wondrous Wondriska employs a common theme in children's books: a neglected object/toy/character/animal is called to duty when the chips are down. In this case, an antiquated steam engine, vs. a defective circus train in a snowstorm.
At first read the story may not be as moving as Maira Kalman's Fireboat or as universal as Robert L. May's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or even Walsh and Seibold's Olive, the Other Reindeer but the telling of this tale is in the graphics. Noted Professor of Graphic Arts, Shahn Bushmiller Bass states, "Graphics, an important and powerful form of storytelling in juvenile fiction, chapbooks, primers, etc., are quite often neglected and or misunderstood not only by the reading public at large but by the academia rank and file as well." We are not sure what that means. All we know is Puff has nice graphics.
WHY DO WE RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? Graphics.
WHAT SHOULD READERS LOOK FOR? Graphics.
WHAT DOES THIS BOOK TEACH? Graphics.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS BOOK? Children. And graphic designers. And children of graphic designers.
Why is it the most innovative of children's books are always the first to go out of print? All of Mr. Wondriska's wonderful books are unavailable.
Train track endpapers.
