WE WOULD PRETEND

Join these two imaginative children in this outdoor adventure with a Waldorf feel.

When a father suggests that his child and a friend play outside, the kids bolt out the door. They explore a treehouse, garden patches, a rabbit hutch, a henhouse, and more. Imagination ignites and chaos ensues as the children enter the “lair of the giant Gourdus, the dreaded King of Pumpkins.” In the children’s wild imaginings, red eyes in darkened cages turn harmless penned rabbits into zombies, and a hose—imagined into a “fire-breathing snake”—helps take down “a Martian with a thousand slimy tentacles.” A wheelbarrow ride that ends in a spectacular crash deprives the children of their magical powers and lands them in trouble, with, perhaps, the sad prospect of losing a lemonade treat. With spare text translated from French, the story is carried by energetic, digitally created illustrations in crayon colors with minimal shading and a solid beige background. Bursts of yellows, oranges, and reds create eye-catching illustrations perfect for storytime. DuBois uses crosshatching for the characters’ skin; the father and one of the children have reddish complexions, while the other child has light tan skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Rollicking, imagination-inspired outdoor fun.