FOLLOW THE LINE

Harold and his purple crayon have nothing over Ljungkvist, who takes young readers along on a journey from morning to night, from city to sea to village, through page-filling scenes composed, by and large, with one continuous line. Limning simple geometric shapes, that line begins on the front cover, finishes off with a drawn “The End” on the back, and in between, outlines buildings, windows and faces, cars, street signs, sea and air craft, trees and animals—enhanced by colorful filled-in shapes that echo the drawn ones. Lines of text follow along too, inviting viewers of each scene to count flowers, fire hydrants, striped shirts, circles, bows on a kite’s tail, kittens, stars and more. As child-friendly as it is technically sophisticated, this will appeal to counters and crayon-wielders alike. (Picture book. 3-6)