HECTOR THE COLLECTOR

Hector and his classmates learn about collecting.

Hector admires the acorns he collects over the course of the fall, so much so that he stores his treasures in his desk. He’s momentarily embarrassed when his teacher discovers them and his classmates laugh, but his clever teacher turns this into an opportunity, letting him show and tell, asking classmates about their own collections, and making connections to libraries and museums. Graegin’s sketched and shaded drawings, digitally manipulated, colored, and combined, work well in support of this friendly fable. Mammals of all sorts populate Hector’s world. The protagonist looks something like a grizzly bear cub; his teacher is a giraffe, and his classmates are of many different species. All wear clothes but no shoes; careful readers may identify them by their feet. Hector’s collection, pictured on the front endpapers as well as in the text, is nicely varied. As he admires each one, textual similes are supported by the art: he carries a green apple along with the pair that are apple green; he finds another, “golden and smooth like polished stone,” in a pot with stones. There are vignettes, full-page images, and spreads in pleasing variety. The final endpapers include other collectibles. The author’s note ends with her point: “Every collection is different. Every collection is the same. Just like all of us.”

A sweet and child-sensitive addition to any picture-book collection.