Hello

by Aiko Ikegami

Overview

Some stories don't need words to make their meaning clear—and some friendships can transcend barriers.

A wordless picture book shows that the power of friendship and communicating can span across the galaxies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781939547583
Publisher:	Creston Books
Publication date:	10/01/2019
Pages:	34
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Aiko Ikegami was born in Tokyo. She's always loved drawing, painting, and creating stories. After receiving a PhD in Pharmacology and working as a neuropharmacologist, she decided to follow her heart and make picture books. She lives in Ohio.

Aiko Ikegami was born in Tokyo. She's always loved drawing, painting, and creating stories. After receiving a PhD in Pharmacology and working as a neuropharmacologist, she decided to follow her heart and make picture books. She lives in Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

"Friendship can truly be out of this world. A pale-faced, antennaed intergalactic explorer zooms through space in a red and blue rocket. Landing in the countryside on Earth, the visitor first discovers a colorful, welcoming world. But in town, the color disappears, and gray adult humans stride past one another, staring at their handheld devices. Only the explorer is still shown in color, staring up in bewilderment and lost in the sea of gray. Ignored, the explorer sits alone until an Asian-presenting human child offers a red crayon and paper. Together they draw pictures and fold them into paper airplanes that fly through the air, until the human's becomes stuck in a tree. The explorer uses a gadget first to rescue the airplane and again when the child's ice cream falls off its cone. When the explorer receives a message on the gadget and gets back into the rocket, the two friends say goodbye. Once home, however, the explorer misses the friend left behind on Earth and sends a star-studded message of greeting—the only word in the book. Vivid illustrations are often multipaneled, like a graphic novel, and vary in perspective for storytelling and cinematic effect. The presumably adult explorer and human child are similarly short and sturdily built, lending them a pleasing visual consonance. Although wordless, this deftly expresses our simple need to build connections that can endure across a galaxy."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

10/01/2019

PreS-K—An alien arrives on Earth and befriends a young girl. The two share simple and pleasant moments such as enjoying ice cream together, creating and flying paper airplanes, and observing a beautiful sky. This wordless picture book does a wonderful job of illustrating a budding friendship by expressing emotional exchanges solely through illustration. White space is frequently used to focus readers' attention on the growing bond between the two characters. Scenes composed with lots of white space are woven together with other scenes filled with vivid and vibrant color. In this way, the viewers's attention is frequently shifted from small changes to large changes in scenes. Characters in the background are often depicted in shades of black and white, with the protagonists illuminated in full color. Panels are used to capture movement and emotional transitions. The cute rounded characters are a charming and refreshing addition to this book. Their facial features add delight to the narrative. Beautiful intergalactic scenes add a mesmerizing touch. Line is used to depict both sound and movement. VERDICT This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating and capturing the beauty and wonder of unique friendships. Out of this world!—Deanna Smith, Pender County Public Library, NC

School Library Journal

★ 2019-07-28
Friendship can truly be out of this world.

A pale-faced, antennaed intergalactic explorer zooms through space in a red and blue rocket. Landing in the countryside on Earth, the visitor first discovers a colorful, welcoming world. But in town, the color disappears, and gray adult humans stride past one another, staring at their handheld devices. Only the explorer is still shown in color, staring up in bewilderment and lost in the sea of gray. Ignored, the explorer sits alone until an Asian-presenting human child offers a red crayon and paper. Together they draw pictures and fold them into paper airplanes that fly through the air, until the human's becomes stuck in a tree. The explorer uses a gadget first to rescue the airplane and again when the child's ice cream falls off its cone. When the explorer receives a message on the gadget and gets back into the rocket, the two friends say goodbye. Once home, however, the explorer misses the friend left behind on Earth and sends a star-studded message of greeting—the only word in the book. Vivid illustrations are often multipaneled, like a graphic novel, and vary in perspective for storytelling and cinematic effect. The presumably adult explorer and human child are similarly short and sturdily built, lending them a pleasing visual consonance.

Although wordless, this deftly expresses our simple need to build connections that can endure across a galaxy. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews