The Thing About Yetis

by Vin Vogel

Overview

Introducing Yeti, a fuzzy and sweet new character whose story is perfect for summer, winter, and all the seasons in between!

Everyone knows yetis love winter. They love snowball fights and hot chocolate and sledding and building snow castles. But even yetis get the shivers, and even yetis get crabby from all the cold. So here’s a secret about yetis:  sometimes they miss summer. Sometimes, they have to bring a little bit of summer to the coldest of winter days. Those yetis, they're just full of surprises.

Perfect for fans of Love Monster and the Cat books by Deborah Underwood, this endearing new character will warm your heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780803741706
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/10/2015
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	818,248
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Vin Vogel is a Brazilian illustrator and character designer who now lives in New York City. The Thing About Yetis is his debut picture book as an author-illustrator. 

Editorial Reviews

The Thing About Yetis is the Brazilian illustrator Vin Vogel's first book as both author and illustrator, and the writing has a delightful confiding tone that adds warmth to his bright, softly madcap illustrations. I am here to report that Vogel's Yeti is not only unscary, he's actually a MacGuffin. This is really a book about how to get through the winter, especially that last part when you're longing desperately for a change of weather.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

09/28/2015
Yetis—they’re just like us. That’s the essential takeaway as illustrator Vogel (Music Class Today!), in his first outing as author, reveals that winter can be hard on even these snow creatures. Vogel’s furry, gumdrop-shaped yetis are far more adorable than abominable, and while they never get names, there’s a definite sibling dynamic going on—the opening scene shows the smaller yeti being pulled through the snow on a sled by the larger one, who wears a red knit cap with earflaps and dangly pompoms. According to Vogel, yetis also love “drinking hot chocolate with their favorite stuffed toy” and ice-skating “Yeti style” (aka on their bellies). And when winter gets to be too much, they keep crabbiness at bay by remembering their favorite summer activities, which includes trips to the beach and flying down a Slip ’n Slide in a pose that looks suspiciously like their preferred ice-skating maneuver. Vogel narrates with gentle humor as his yetis—and the human kids they play with—remind readers that there’s plenty of fun to be had in every season. Ages 3–5. Agent: Heather Alexander, Pippin Properties. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"The writing has a delightful confiding tone that adds warmth to [Vogel’s] bright, softly madcap illustrations. … sweet and funny.” —The New York Times 

"Vogel narrates with gentle humor as his yetis—and the human kids they play with—remind readers that there’s plenty of fun to be had in every season." —Publishers Weekly

"Out in time for the chilliest season, this offers a solution to winter blues while adding to the growing list of yeti protagonists."  —Kirkus Reviews

"This ode to seasons is sure to make a cozy—and comforting—companion" —Booklist

"The digital cartoon artwork sets the perfect tone for this romp through the seasons...A solid addition any time of year." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

01/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—This cheerful celebration of seasons will resonate with young readers who love to sled, skate, and slide through winter but also need a reminder that summer is just around the corner. The yeti protagonist is an endearingly fuzzy white gumdrop with googly eyes and a red cap with ear flaps and pom poms. The yeti enjoys fun and cozy winter activities like sledding and drinking cocoa. He loves sliding down hills on his bottom, building snow castles…and pretending he is Godzilla. Each line of text is accompanied by an animated full-page illustration of the yeti playing alone, with human friends, or with a favorite stuffed toy. "But sometimes winter can be tough… even for a yeti." He reminisces about all the fun things to do in summer like "building big sand castles" and "zipping down splashy slides" on his belly. In the end, he learns how to find the best in every season and readers will, too. The digital cartoon artwork sets the perfect tone for this romp through the seasons. VERDICT A solid addition any time of year.—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

School Library Journal

2015-08-26
When the winter gets rough, what is a yeti to do? Readers follow a nameless yeti accompanied by a stuffed toy yeti in a simple narrative. Yetis love several things about winter: waking up to quiet, snowy mornings, drinking hot chocolate, sliding down hills, building snow castles, frolicking in the snow and pretending to be Godzilla, ice-skating "Yeti style" (belly down). Nevertheless, it isn't entirely grand for yetis in the winter, for they, too, experience winter blues, when hot-chocolate supplies have been depleted and their cold, wet fur won't dry. And so they miss the warm summer: playing outdoors for long hours, looking for sea creatures, producing sea-monster beauty contests, building sand castles, and zipping down splashy slides, also yeti-style. They miss the summer nights and listening to the sound of crickets, wishing on shooting stars, and gazing at the hundreds of fireflies. Vogel, in his debut as both author and illustrator, contrasts the white, gray, barren winter spreads with lively green backyards, sunny beach days, and blue summer nights. The yeti's expressions merit great attention, as do the nod to a yeti-fied version of a Sendak classic and such important scene-setting details as the radiators found in cold-weather homes. Out in time for the chilliest season, this offers a solution to winter blues while adding to the growing list of yeti protagonists. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews