Outside, Inside

A gentle text and bold cut-paper artwork build an evocative mood as they compare and contrast a dramatic thunderstorm outside with a warm and cozy day spent inside.

PreSchool-Grade 1?Molly spends a rainy morning in a cozy house, playing, eating, and baking, while, outside, animals rush for cover from the storm. When the sun finally comes out, the child opens the door to "let the outside in," and the animals peek out from their hiding places. The text is brief but warm, with descriptions like "pancake mountains" and phrases like "thunder stomps over the hills." The large, vibrant cut-paper illustrations are detailed and full of action, light, and shadows. A comforting story that's sure to appeal to anyone who likes curling up on a rainy day.?Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Crimi's first book is a story of contrasts: as Molly awakens in the morning and stretches in her flannel robe, "Outside, black clouds sink down to the bottom of the sky." In scenarios alternating between outdoors and indoors, the wind cries, a rabbit scurries, "rain spills from the clouds" and "a slash of lightning scratches the sky" while a grandfather's clock ticks reassuringly, "maple syrup slips down a pancake mountain," Molly's cat naps beside the fireplace and the girl "twirls on her tiptoes." When the sun finally "pushes through a crack in the clouds," Molly opens the door "and lets the outside in!" Crimi's inventive use of language adds lyricism and sparkle to her simple tale, while a striking, airy typeface and stylized cut-paper illustrations provide unusual visual exuberance. Calendar artist Riley's palette nicely complements the tale's theme: the deep blues and greens used to depict the natural world effectively counterbalance the warm hues of Molly's vermilion robe, pink dress and other items found in her snug home. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4^-6. Plenty of pleasant alliteration marks the evocative, simple text, but it will probably be the fresh, colorful illustrations accompanying the words that really sell this book to kids. Riley's painted cut-paper collages, with their crisp lines and shapes and dappled shadings, are striking. Suffused with gentle comedy, they capture the goings-on outside during a rainy day and the goings-on inside, where Molly and her pets amuse themselves while they await an opportunity to open the door and let "the outside in!" Stephanie Zvirin