Barnaby Unboxed!

PreS-Gr 2–In the tradition of Corduroy and The Velveteen Rabbit, Barnaby has sat in his box on a shelf in the Perfect Pets store “for as long as he could remember,” waiting for someone to choose him and take him home. When an unnamed “little girl” purchases Barnaby, he experiences newfound joy in the glow of her loving attention. Barnaby’s bliss is temporary, as the girl sees an ad for the new “Rainbow Barnaby,” whose colored stripes make her plain pink Barnaby seem dull by comparison. Neglected by the little girl, Barnaby gets lost in the city where he tries to find his way home despite “a sinking feeling no one was looking for him.” Sharp-eyed readers will notice the “Lost Barnaby” posters before Barnaby is reunited with the little girl, who has searched for him all along. The digitally colored graphite illustrations mirror the range of Barnaby’s emotions, from the bright colors of his happiest days to the muted tones and threatening shadows of his loneliest moments. Readers of all ages will identify with Barnaby’s pain and longing, and more sophisticated readers will catch the subtle criticism of the YouTube-style “unboxing” video and our endless pursuit of the “new and improved.”