A Boy, a Pencil, and Solving Problems
By Connor Wilson, Illustrated by Alyssa Machette
Magic Dreams Publishing 12.95 45 pages
This is definitely a working fantasy. Billy has a rough day. His parents make life miserable for him, his sister is a pain, he has to deal with a school bully, and even his friends give him a harder time than usual. He then finds a A Giant Pencil in the woods, and takes it home. A dog barks at him, and Billy has an idea; he uses the pencil to erase the dog. As that works, he then proceeds to erase all of his problems, including the school. He then gets lonely, and has to figure out how to use the pencil to make everyone come back.
What is most remarkable about this book is that the author was only eight, and that alone will make kids interested in it. Even without that, this book’s story is actually pretty funny; it takes a single joke, expands it well, and then puts it into a greater context. This is a remarkable achievement for a kid. The illustrations are not bad, but about what you would expect from a young artist. This is definitely an enjoyable book, and one that your child will probably want re-read a lot.
Reviewed By Jamais Jochim
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