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CM . . .
. Volume XXII Number 29. . . .April 1, 2016
excerpt:
Julie Kraulis has written and illustrated another book in a series of stories about Arlo, an armadillo who travels to far away places. The story begins with some background information about his grandfather Augustin and his journals which describe Augustin’s favourite travel destinations in the world. In this book, Arlo follows his grandfather’s trip to New York after reading about New York City and Lady Liberty in one of these journals. After Arlo lands in New York City, his adventure begins. The trail starts with a visit to Rockerfeller Center followed by a visit to Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library. At the library, Arlo meets the two lions who are watching from the doorway. Kraulis gives the lions the names Patience and Fortitude. The tour continues to the Lincoln Center where Arlo tries an arabesque and a pirouette on stage with ballet dancers and discovers that dancing is not easy for an armadillo. At every tourist destination, Arlo muses about Lady Liberty, thereby building suspense for the reader. Just as in Kraulis’ last book, the adventure ends with Arlo’s finding the special lady of New York City which, in this case, is the Statue of Liberty. An Armadillo in New York is a charming book with great illustrations rendered in oil and graphite. All the illustrations complement the text. The colours are muted, but the repeated use of yellow on various pages draws the eye to objects that Kraulis wants to emphasize. In the two-page spread image of the Statue of Liberty, for instance, the yellow is the colour of her torch’s flame. The format of this book is similar to that of An Armadillo in Paris. Images of pages from Augustin’s journal are at each scene the reader visits, along with text describing the tourist site from Arlo’s point of view. At the end of the book and the end of Arlo’s journey, the Statue of Liberty is large and prominent. Julie Kraulis has created a charming story about a sweet little armadillo and his adventure to find Lady Liberty. Just like her first book, An Armadillo in Paris, An Armadillo in New York will appeal to children who like to solve puzzles and to some who have traveled. Highly Recommended.
Janet Johnson is a retired librarian who used to teach Children’s Literature for the Library Technician Program at Red River College in Winnipeg, MB.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any
other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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