Where else but in New York can a Walrus hide in plain sight?
Where’s Walrus by Stephen Savage is a delightfully charming book that will soon become a favorite in your household. The bright, simple illustration, cool and playful, can be soothing balm when you’ll been inundated with busy books that are well, far too busy.
And when you just can’t read one more rendition of Horton Hears a Who, you’ll enjoy the clever story line of this book. It focuses on our friend, the Walrus, who slips past the diligent zookeeper. Walrus goes on on many adventures, from building a brick wall to dancing the can can. I’d like to see that other more famous guy in the glasses and the stripey shirt pull that one off with such equal grace.
Where’s Walrus contains no words, at least none that are written on the page. Instead, the pictures themselves inspire creative interaction between a parent and a child, or a teacher and the class. The clean lines and clear illustrations are a ruse. There is a lot to see on each page, and many stories to tell. Plus, I’m a pushover for a Walrus in a hat.
My three children, age four (and a half) through age nine and I have been sharing this book, and we are all getting something wonderful out of it, from the humor of the fact that one of the illustrations is suspiciously reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting to the debate over whether Walrus is a girl or a boy.
There are many little treasures laying in wait at each new reading. For example, while the hats are a neat little device to the story, there are also quite symbolic.
I don’t usually talk too much about endings in children’s picture books. Most wordless or simple picture books present a series of images that loosely form a story or not, a story that sort of trails off at the end or ties itself neatly into a simple bow. Where’s Walrus is another animal. Instead, the ending comes full circle to something I can only describe as satisfying. I’ll leave you in suspense, but I do offer this clue. Walrus does get to embrace his inner talent and share it with the city.
You’ll like this book if you liked: Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman.
Where’s Walrus?
By Stephen Savage
Scholastic Press
February 2011
$16.99
Ages 3-6
978-0-439-70049-8
A review copy of Where’s Walrus was provided free and without compensation.