  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 09/01/2015 Gr 2–4—Henrietta is a young girl who has just received a new box of colored pencils, which she describes as "owning a piece of the rainbow." And that is exactly how this book is illustrated, with bright, thickly applied colors in childlike drawings that reinforce the mood and action of the text. Liniers offers a book within a book; Henrietta is the author and illustrator of a story starring herself. In between panels, Henrietta consults her talking cat Fellini, who offers his sometimes philosophical advice and checks up on Henrietta's writing progress. Her story begins with a secret closet, much like the well known one from the Narnia series. To Emily's surprise, out pops a monster with three heads (but only two hats). The young author and My Favorite (her beloved stuffed animal) embark on a journey through the closet to help her monster friend find another hat, aided by an almost silent mouse who gives excellent directions and helps them escape from a big red monster. At one point, Henrietta is so invested in her artwork and the creation of her story that she scares herself (and perhaps a few sensitive readers as well.) The Spanish language version is just as delightful—perhaps even more humorous. VERDICT This title is sure to be a hit with emerging readers and young fans of graphic/cartoon stories during storytime or independent reading. —Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 09/15/2015 *Starred Review* A framed set of colored pencils opens this latest volume by beloved Argentinian cartoonist Liniers. Symbolic of limitless childhood imagination, the pencils are an image that’s warmly inviting, vibrating with giddy promise, and particularly appropriate to the artist’s clever story in a spirited, creative, and freewheeling style. Following those pristine pencils is a dual narrative: young Henrietta narrates her creative process alongside the story she creates, the tale of a three-headed monster looking for a third hat, who recruits Henrietta in the search through her labyrinthine wardrobe. Liniers’ panels alternate between his nostalgic, clear-lined cartooning and Henrietta’s wild, purely imaginative, heavy crayon scrawls in bold primary colors. Henrietta serves as both artist and audience, as she comments on her writing and reacts with over-the-top emotion to the scares in her own plot. It’s a charming, funny device that integrates the two stories into a cohesive work and uniquely embraces its audience. More solidly linear than his strip Macanudo, Liniers’ playful graphic novel is an ideally accessible alchemy of engaging, energetic storytelling and a fresh artistic perspective. A wonderful choice for both strong early readers and for grown-ups to share with younger children. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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