Accident! by Andrea Tsurumi (review)

A title spread showing a precariously perched pitcher full of a scarlet drink and a small, gold-toned armadillo tumbling through her living room must spell imminent disaster. Sure enough, after the liquid spatters an armchair, Lola the armadillo runs away ("I'll hide in the library! They have books and bathrooms"), and while on the lam she's joined by a lamb, a bear, and a puffer fish, who all suffer their own mishaps. Their flight to the library is set against a backdrop of mayhem as accidents involving other community critters pile up at an astounding rate. A domino-style takedown of the library shelving finally results in a near-meltdown for Lola, until a little red bird who has witnessed all tells her that it was an "accident" and that accidents can be set right. This useful message is simply and effectively conveyed through the minimal text, but it's the detailed, humorous illustrations that will fascinate and engage readers and viewers. Using graphite and digital color, Tsurumi sets the vibrant and messily unspooling chains of calamities against a tidily contained world and restful, clean white space. Kids who love Richard Scarry–style layouts or Rube Goldberg machines will pore over these pages trying to piece together all the mini-events; some scenes, such as the toucan who appears to have peed his pants or the bear who makes a faux pas by serving up a boiled egg to a chicken, will also evoke a chuckle. Use this to offer perspective to kids who tend to catastrophize their own and others' mistakes or as fodder for discussions about problems and resolutions.