Reviews
Ellis (Home, 2015) elevates gibberish to an art form with her brilliant account of a few bugs, who discover a green shoot sprouting from the ground...Readers and pre-readers alike will find myriad visual cues in Ellis' splendid folk-style, gouache-and-ink illustrations that will allow them to draw meaning from the nonsensical dialogue, as well as observe the subtle changing of the seasons. The entire story unfolds on the same small stretch of ground, where each new detail is integral to the scene at hand. Effortlessly working on many levels, Ellis' newest is outstanding. -Booklist (starred review) Viewers follow the unfurling of an exotic woodland plant through the actions and invented language of beautifully coiffed and clothed insects...This is certain to ignite readers' interest and imaginings regarding their natural surroundings. Following the minute changes as the pages turn is to watch growth, transformation, death, and rebirth presented as enthralling spectacle. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) In a wordless coda of successive double-page spreads we are comforted by the cycle of the seasons. By the final words, "Du iz tak?" we are fluent speakers of Bug. Completely scrivadelly, this is a tour de force of original storytelling. -Horn Book (starred review) Ellis's ( Home ) bewitching creation stars a lively company of insects who speak a language unrelated to English, and working out what they are saying is one of the story's delights...Very gently, Ellis suggests that humans have no idea what wonders are unfolding at their feet-and that what takes place in the lives of insects is not so different from their own. Has there ever been anything quite like it? Ma nazoot . -Publishers Weekly (starred review) Using intricate illustrations supported by spare dialogue in an invented language, Ellis elegantly weaves the tale of several square feet of ground in the insect world as the seasons pass...This is a title that calls for multiple readings, as there is something new to be discovered each time. Perfect for one-on-one or small group sharing. -School Library Journal Written entirely in the playful and amusing language of bugs, it isn't necessary to speak fluent moth or ladybug to enjoy the growth and metamorphoses creatively combined through Carson Ellis's delightful words and fanciful illustrations as the seasons subtly transform. -ForeWord Reviews, Ellis (Home, 2015) elevates gibberish to an art form with her brilliant account of a few bugs, who discover a green shoot sprouting from the ground...Readers and pre-readers alike will find myriad visual cues in Ellis' splendid folk-style, gouache-and-ink illustrations that will allow them to draw meaning from the nonsensical dialogue, as well as observe the subtle changing of the seasons. The entire story unfolds on the same small stretch of ground, where each new detail is integral to the scene at hand. Effortlessly working on many levels, Ellis' newest is outstanding. -Booklist (starred review)
