Give Me Back My Book! by Travis Foster (review)

Redd and Bloo—two animated, animal-like creatures whose names reflect their physical color—love a good book, so much so that the two cannot seem to agree on which of them is the rightful owner of the treasured green book. While the two compete to see who is more familiar with the book—with its hard cover, nice spine, and pages that turn from right to left—Bookworm slides in and grabs it for herself. Redd and Bloo must come together to devise a plan to retrieve it and set out to create a replacement that will be so enticing that Bookworm will not be able to resist a trade. The digitally rendered illustrations are vibrant and expressive, including photographed elements that create textured images that are simultaneously lifelike yet cartoonish. The story is told entirely through speech-bubble dialogue and exuberant facial expressions, providing a humorous yet heartwarming narrative about the passion that a great book can ignite and the friendship that can come from connecting over a cherished title. While suitable for a readaloud, the text also lends itself to being shared between young readers, perhaps in a classroom or library listening station, or to inspiring children to create their own books.