The Think-Ups

by Claire Alexander, Claire Alexander (Illustrator)

Overview

When you can’t go outside to play, it’s time to call on your imagination—and summon all the marvelous creatures you can think up.

What’s there to do when you’re stuck inside on a rainy day? If you’re like Kiki, with a big imagination, you teach your sister how to play the Think-Ups. It’s easy: you take turns thinking up any animal you like (A bunny! A moose! An octopus! A koala!) and, just like that, that creature (or several of them) will appear. In a blink, your house will be overflowing with hopping, hungry, messy Think-Ups. Quick, Kiki! What are the rules for ending the game? A charming story about keeping boredom at bay, with sure appeal for little animal lovers and creative thinker-uppers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536220124
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	02/08/2022
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.13(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.33(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Claire Alexander is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. She studied fine arts at the Kent Institute of Art and Design in Canterbury, England. In addition to her picture book work, Claire is a portrait painter and teaches courses in picture-book making at the House of Illustration in London. Claire Alexander lives in London.

Editorial Reviews

"A sweet visual idiom. . . A fast-moving story with two high-spirited heroes, Alexander’s tale prizes imagination, creativity, and quick thinking."

—Publishers Weekly

The premise of an imagination run amok is a tried-and-true storytime winner, and this hits all the right notes from the lively pace to the familiar context to the toylike animals. . . . Rambunctious youngsters will appreciate the cheerful energy here.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Alexander’s exuberant text lends itself perfectly to reading aloud. . . Kiki and Anna’s rapidly shifting emotional extremes are dead-on and offer additional points for discussion. . . . A deftly executed homage to the power children possess to imagine away a dreary day.

—Kirkus Reviews

Alexander’s sweetly cartoonish illustrations are very funny. . . this delightful and imaginative romp will have readers giggling and wishing for Think-Ups of their own.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-12-03
Two children stuck inside on a rainy day use their imaginations to stave off boredom.

Having exhausted their usual indoor activities, small gal pals Kiki and Anna stare out the wet window despondently. But then, in a stroke of inspiration, Kiki invents a special game: “We could play the Think-Ups!” The rules are simple: Think of something and it will appear. Anna is skeptical at first, but soon the girls are conjuring up bunnies, octopuses, koalas, and even a moose! They initially revel in their wild animal apparitions until the mischievous menagerie takes over the house, making a mess in the kitchen and causing general chaos. Luckily, the children think up a way to restore order just as the sun comes out…but their imaginary troubles aren’t over yet! Alexander’s exuberant text lends itself perfectly to reading aloud, with playful verbal flourishes such as “wriggling, giggling octopuses.” The digital illustrations, executed in a mostly pastel palette, have a hand-drawn feel and effectively convey the hilarity, charm, and unbridled energy of young children’s play. Kiki and Anna’s rapidly shifting emotional extremes are dead-on and offer additional points for discussion. Occasional wordless spreads give readers a chance to take a breath during the make-believe mayhem and soak in all the details. Attentive readers will notice clues peppered throughout that foreshadow some of the hijinks. All characters are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A deftly executed homage to the power children possess to imagine away a dreary day. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews