Willy's Stories

K-Gr 4—The author of One Gorilla (2013) and Willy's Pictures (1999, both Candlewick) brings back chimpanzee Willy, a mild-mannered dreamer in a sweater vest, for an imaginative tour of classic Western literature. Upon entering an unmarked library, Willy immediately places himself in the heart of the action of a string of well-known tales. Each verso offers a brief, first-person retelling of a classic story, breaking off at a cliff-hanger moment to ask readers a breathless question. Browne completes each spread with his signature primate-populated and gently surreal artwork, depicting a reimagined scene from each tale. Browne peppers the mixed-media pictures with clever touches: books or pencils appear in every image, serving as swords, trees, shark teeth, and even the building material for Dorothy's tornado-swept house. The book's distinguished design matches the weight of the centuries of stories found within, from the marbled endpapers to the decorative initial caps leading off each episode from Robinson Crusoe, The Tinderbox, The Wind in the Willows, and more. Younger picture book readers will experience few thrills of recognition, most having not yet encountered Treasure Island or The Adventures of Pinocchio, but some may be inspired to investigate the originals. Older readers may identify a few of the tales, and likely everyone will enjoy predicting the next episode in each adventure.