“If you could go anywhere, where would you go?”
The sky’s the limit in Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart’s You Choose (Kane Miller, March), an interactive book (originally published in the U.K. in 2003) where kids call the shots in their own narrative. Sharratt’s bright and friendly cartoon illustrations invite readers into pages filled with lots of story-element choices. To begin, pick a destination from a glorious double-page spread that incorporates a rainforest, a volcano, mountains, a lake, rivers, a desert, the countryside, a city, an island, icebergs, and outer space in one sweeping panoramic vista.
The following almost-wordless spreads feature dozens of choices for “family and friends,” types of homes, furnishings, food, clothes, pets, jobs, things to do, and, finally, “when you got tired and felt like a snooze, where would you sleep? You choose. Good night!” The illustrated options range from practical (typical-looking family/friends, high-rise apartment building, salad) to the fantastic (Santa, a mushroom house, witch’s brew). The spreads are busy in an orderly way; even if you feel you’ve looked at everything, you’ll usually see something new the next time through.
The best thing about this book? A two-year-old and a three-year-old can entertain themselves with it. My hat is off to you, Nick and Pippa (and the wise people at Kane Miller)!