ALICE & GERT

Alice and Gert, two anthropomorphic insects, exhibit different work ethics.

With a nod to the relationship between Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas (seen in the author’s dedication statement), this enchanting picture book from Canada tells the story of artistic Gert, a “sweet, flighty” grasshopper, and Alice, a hardworking ant. Gert spends the beautiful summer days soaking up the sunshine and cajoling Alice—who endlessly schleps food to her nest in preparation for the lean days of winter—to “relax and enjoy this fine weather.” Alice reminds Gert of winter’s looming onset, but Gert brushes her off in an affectionate way. For her own part, Gert livens up Alice’s hardworking days by composing and performing a song for her and acting out a pirate play she wrote (accompanied by delightfully droll spot illustrations). When the inevitable season of winter comes, Gert wakes up to the consequences of her actions. But after a gentle remonstrance, Alice repays Gert’s entertainment with generosity. The storyline is quiet, but it is sound and solid, and while the narrative speaks linearly, the whimsical illustrations round out the story with depth and nuance. The ant and the grasshopper are softly rendered and oh-so-subtly animated (most especially by the engaging luminosity in their big bug eyes), and insects never looked so cuddly. The soft, pale, earth-toned palette is as easy on the eyes as the gentle story is on the mind.