Thingamabob

PreS-Gr 2–The creator of Petra and Ray has delivered another sweet story of finding one’s identity. The story of the Big Bang gets somewhat simplified: From one big blob, everything gets a shape and purpose, except for the Thingamabob. The Thingamabob, a smiley orange blob, can become different things, like a chair or a hat, but it is never “enough” to be any one thing; it’s not comfy enough to be a chair or trendy enough to be a hat. One day, the discouraged Thingamabob meets a child and helps with imaginative play. The Thingamabob realizes that in not being one set thing, it can be anything, which makes it happy. The background and characters are set in a grayscale with the bright orange Thingamabob as the main attraction. The simple drawing of the people with round heads and mere for eyes are reminiscent of vintage illustrations (e.g., Harold and the Purple Crayon). Adults will appreciate the message of self-acceptance and individuality, while kids will like seeing the creative objects the Thingamabob becomes. The generous white space around the text is pleasant; the tiny font size is not.