Platypus - Hardcover

Riddell, Chris

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152164936 ISBN 13: 9780152164935

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 2002

Synopsis

A big rock. Some slimy seaweed. An old shoe. None of these is quite what Platypus wants for his special collection. Then he finds a beautiful curly shell--perfect! But the next morning his curly shell isgone. Where can it be?
The star of a brand new series from acclaimed author-illustrator Chris Riddell, the thoughtful, lively, and always curious Platypus is a wonderful companion for every young child.

About this title

About the Authors

CHRIS RIDDELL has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, includingSomething Else, which won the UNESCO Award for Children's books. He is also a renowned political cartoonist whose work has been featured in theObserver, the Economist, and the Independent. Mr. Riddell lives in Brighton, England.

CHRIS RIDDELL has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including Something Else, which won the UNESCO Award for Children's books. He is also a renowned political cartoonist whose work has been featured in the Observer, the Economist, and the Independent. Mr. Riddell lives in Brighton, England.

Reviews

reSchool-Grade 1-Platypus is a sturdy, cheerful character whose simple adventures reflect childhood interests. In the mood to add to his this-and-that collection, which already includes an old shoe, an acorn, and several marbles, he wanders down to the seashore, bucket in hand. He finds the perfect shell, but is mystified when it keeps disappearing from his "special box." Young readers who have been paying attention to the pictures won't be surprised to discover that the hermit crab that lives within it is trying to get back to the sea. Riddell slips in a gentle ecological message as Platypus realizes his mistake and quickly puts the shell back where he found it. Luckily, another one, quite uninhabited, turns up, so the collector manages to add something special after all. This charming picture book should appeal especially to fans of Mick Inkpen's "Kipper" (Harcourt). While Riddell's story features a bit more text, his use of white space echoes Inkpen's work and keeps readers' attention squarely on his appealing character. The watercolor and black-ink illustrations have a soft, bright palette and simple, uncluttered style that extend the humor and charm of the tale. Platypus's perplexed expression when he tries to take a sand castle home is understated but amusing. As odd and unfamiliar as he may look, this duckbill will seem like an old friend to most young listeners.
Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Riddell's (illus. of Something Else) spunky hero has a bill the size of a clown's shoe and a comic case of the collecting bug. In one of the book's many crisp and austerely composed watercolors, Platypus proudly displays the contents of his big green collecting box: a blue sneaker, an acorn, marbles, a bottle cap, etc. a collection to be envied in any child's estimation. Yet something is missing. "He didn't know quite what he was looking for," writes Riddell as he sends Platypus down to the beach on a quest, "but he was sure he'd know it when he saw it." A beautiful shell seems to be just the ticket, except that it won't stay put: two tiny eyes and a single claw poke out of the green box as Platypus sleeps, and the next morning the shell is gone. The same thing happens when Platypus reclaims the shell. The reason, Platypus discovers, is that the shell already belongs to someone a hermit crab. Youngsters in the throes of a hoarding phase will sympathize with the hero (who sleeps with a tiny stuffed toy platypus), while Riddell's well-paced plotting makes the mystery and the resolution equally enticing. Happily, a second Platypus title is scheduled for next season. Ages 2-5.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 2-4. Little Platypus goes out to the beach to look for things to add to his miscellaneous collection. After rejecting several items, he finds a seashell that pleases him and puts it in his special box at home. The next morning, it has disappeared, but he finds it again on the beach and takes it back home. When it's missing the next day, he goes out looking for it and discovers a hermit crab inside. Surprised and apologetic, Platypus finds a different shell for his collection. Both text and illustrations have a simplicity of line and equanimity of tone that make this a quiet, but pleasing choice for reading aloud. There's just a bare suggestion of setting, allowing the large, expressive ink drawings of Platypus and his collectibles to stand out clearly against the white backgrounds. The restrained use of watercolor washes brightens the pages without taking away from the clarity of the artwork. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152164936
• ISBN 13: 9780152164935
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32