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  • Zelda the Varigoose
Loth, Sebastian . Zelda the Varigoose; tr. by David Henry Wilson; written and illus. by Sebastian Loth. NorthSouth, 2012. 48p. ISBN 978-0-7358-4076-8 $15.95 R 3-6 yrs.

In this Swiss import, Zelda—a cute, stubby-beaked yellow goose—imagines herself as a variety of different creatures such as a "goosnail" (a combination goose and snail), a "chamelegoose" (chameleon/goose), and a "butterfloose" (butterfly/goose). On each spread, Zelda conveys her new hybrid identity in a riddly couplet ("It doesn't matter where I roam,/ Because I always feel at home" says the "goosnail") while the recto features two layers, a clear overlay of the contributing animal's distinguishing features that neatly connects with the underlying art of Zelda as goose, so that an [End Page 33] overlay printed with butterfly wings transforms the waddling Zelda beneath into the aforementioned "butterfloose." In a nice design touch, backgrounds have a subtle digital pattern linking them thematically (a close-up of a pale green lettuce opposite the "goosnail," for instance). Zelda's backgrounds are equally subtle, as her golden form stands out against a pale beige page accented with minimal details printed in white. The rhyming text is functional rather than sparkling, but it's the visuals that are the point here; the skillful and attractive book design, the novelty of the overlays, and Zelda's vivacious poses will win over most kids. Youngsters who love pretend play and dress-up will also relate to Zelda's imaginative combinations, and this might easily be used to inspire kids to create their own animal mashups as well.

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