Hopper and Wilson

PreS-Gr 1—Hopper, an elephant, and Wilson, a mouse, wonder what the end of the world is like. Will there be a staircase to the Moon? An endless supply of lemonade? They bid farewell to their pet cactus and, clasping a shiny red balloon, set sail in a folded-newspaper boat to find out. Their journey is scenic, dreamy, and dramatic; it reaffirms the sailors' friendship and reveals not only the end of the world but also the nature of the quest. Van Lieshout's deft, gentle watercolors bubble out of the fine ink outlines and mingle with one another into subtle, enchanting gradations of tint. Collage pieces like the newspaper boat add texture and depth. Most endearing of all is the portrayal of Hopper and Wilson as well-worn hand-stitched stuffed animals. Their facial expressions and postures delicately convey a vast range of emotions and paint a picture of the love and trust between true friends.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY