And A Book: The Inhabitants of Myth

by Michael Molinet

Overview

A young boy snuggles up with a story about mythical creatures while enjoying a slice of crumb cake and a glass of milk. But he had better be careful! The Unicorn on page one will get irritated by any crumbs dropped on her page. The Dragon on the next page may lose his fire if the boy is careless and splashes any milk about. But our boy loves this book. …And a Book is filled with nervous Unicorns, righteously indigent Golems, befuddled Leprechauns, aquaphobic Mermaids, as well as other colorful creatures of mythology. As the story progresses, some form of neglect seems to befall each page—a sloppy spill, or a reckless rip, or an unwarranted crayon doodle—and the illustrated creature who lives on that page reacts, unless... Eventually, we arrive at a tender and magical ending that will warm the heart and show us the power of relationship between a boy …And a Book. …And a Book can be a quick, lyrical read. However, the rich, layered illustrations, charming protagonist and dynamic personalities of the book’s inhabitants will draw the child into exploring this world of mythology over and again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781733354806
Publisher:	Notable Kids Publishing
Publication date:	10/20/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 9 Years

About the Author

Michael Molinet has been a professional artist for over 30 years, both in the corporate world as a creative director and as a fine artist. His journey began as a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, while he has since pursued a career that includes being a published author/illustrator, an art director working in both marketing and design, and as a freelance illustrator for literary works in an array of genres. In addition to his agency work, Michael has designed award-winning interior and cover book illustrations, as well as penning his own children’s books. As a fine artist, his paintings have received critical acclaim and been displayed in the Smithsonian and other private galleries. A recent move to Colorado has availed him the opportunity to retire from the corporate world and to direct all of his energies to developing his own literary works, and to offer his skills and experience for the advancement of others’ literary careers. As an artist, Michael delights in creating the visual language that communicates the heart and the soul of the written word. Michael Molinet has been a professional artist for over 30 years, both in the corporate world as a creative director and as a fine artist. His journey began as a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, while he has since pursued a career that includes being a published author/illustrator, an art director working in both marketing and design, and as a freelance illustrator for literary works in an array of genres. In addition to his agency work, Michael has designed award-winning interior and cover book illustrations, as well as penning his own children’s books. As a fine artist, his paintings have received critical acclaim and been displayed in the Smithsonian and other private galleries. A recent move to Colorado has availed him the opportunity to retire from the corporate world and to direct all of his energies to developing his own literary works, and to offer his skills and experience for the advancement of others’ literary careers. As an artist, Michael delights in creating the visual language that communicates the heart and the soul of the written word.

Editorial Reviews

"The book-within-a-book picture book And a Book opens the door to a magical world. Michael Molinet’s informative and engaging picture book And a Book explores children’s literature through dueling illustrations." —George Hajjar, Foreword Reviews


"I can’t really think of a better candidate for a bedtime story as each page is filled with mystery and promise. It’s also perfectly suited for a somewhat more advanced young reader… most highly recommended." — Jack Magnus, Readers Favorite


"This is truly a unique book…illustrated with rich and detailed images…The story will delight children of all ages and give them a fun introduction into mythology while letting them interact with the various creatures." —Liz Konkel, Readers Favorite


"This gorgeously illustrated, inventive book is sure to entrance young readers. Creatures from mythology break the fourth wall (or page) in this surrealistic guide …beautiful, painterly illustrations and wild tessellated backgrounds offer details for both younger lap readers and older independent ones." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-10-26
Creatures from mythology break the fourth wall (or page) in this surrealistic guide by author/illustrator Molinet.

A young reader, carrying crumb cake, milk, and the same book readers hold, begins to flip through the pages of the book. On the left page of each spread, a mythological creature, introduced by a rhyming couplet, responds to the actions of the reader, who is shown reading the book and variously spilling crumbs and milk and coloring on or accidentally ripping the pages. The book takes mistreatment from the reader—but also from the very active mythological creatures. The dwarves, for example, dig a hole right through their opposing page. Featuring the book itself in the illustrations creates a delightful fun-house effect. The child, pale-skinned and blond, looks to be a first or second grader, and the vocabulary is appropriate for readers of that age. The beautiful, painterly illustrations and wild tessellated backgrounds offer details for both younger lap readers and older independent ones. Molinet’s rhymes scan unevenly, but it’s the illustrations that will draw readers and keep them turning the pages. An afterword describes the concept of tessellations and offers a longer note on each creature. While older readers may wish Molinet were more specific about the cultural origins he cites (rather than saying “specific to one culture”), Molinet’s stated purpose is to give them enough to start their own research.

This gorgeously illustrated, inventive book is sure to entrance young readers.

Kirkus Reviews