Ahlberg and Ingman have created a picture book that is both charming and inventive. It is the story of a lonely pencil who decides to start drawing and creates its own world, filled with a boy, a dog, a cat, a paintbrush and much more. Trouble comes when the pencil creates an eraser who starts to take control. But clever thinking and quick drawing bring the story back full circle.The humorous bits are what make this book work so well.
There are small running gags, silly moments and other funny bits that add up to a book that will get giggles but has a lot of depth as well. Ingmans illustrations are integral to the book. They create this world of creativity on both the subtle black-and-white spreads and those wild with color. The partnership of author and illustrator here is so successful that it is hard to imagine the book was done by two different people.Highly recommended for art classes or classes doing drawing, this is also a great book for craft days at libraries or to share with your own little artist.