Box (Book One)

by Patrick Wirbeleit, Uwe Heidschotter (Illustrator)

Overview

Every kid knows a cardboard box can be magic. But what if it could talk? This funny, fast-paced graphic novel celebrates friendship and the fun of building new things.

Matthew likes to build things. And invent things. So finding a box sitting in front of his house one day is a real stroke of luck. But he has to pinch himself when it suddenly starts talking. A living toolbox! Even better, Box loves to invent things too, so the two become fast friends. But where did Box come from, and how did he get to be so magical? When his secret comes out and accidentally leaves Matthew's parents frozen, the two friends will have to race to find the answers and save the day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603094498
Publisher:	IDW Publishing
Publication date:	06/25/2019
Pages:	72
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Patrick Wirbeleit (born 1971) is an illustrator and author living in the countryside just outside Hamburg. He is quite tall and has nearly fifty children's books and comics to his credit. However, he finds people are generally more impressed when he touches the ceiling without even standing on tiptoes. Patrick created the annual award for the best illustrated children's book cover published in Germany. He is the writer of Box.

Uwe Heidschötter (born 1978) is an acclaimed director, character designer and comic illustrator. His directorial debut, the short The Little Boy and the Beast (2009) and his TV movie The Gruffalo's Child (2011) have received countless awards at prestigious festivals such as The NY International Children's Film Festival, Chicago Film Festival, Annecy, Prix Jeunesse and Cartonn d'Or. He designed characters for Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet (2014), Revolting Rhymes (2016) and for Portand's stop-motion studio Laika. He is the illustrator of Box.

Editorial Reviews

"Charmingly illustrated, engaging and funny. Whisks you away on an enchanting adventure and leaves you pining for more." — Suzanne Lang, author of the New York Times Bestseller Grumpy Monkey

"A book about a boy and a box as buds? Brilliant!" — Patrick Jennings, author of Guinea Dog

"This book is BEAUTIFUL. I love it. Great concept, great world, great relationship between the boy and the box. A very fine piece of work!" — Andy Stanton, author of Mr. Gum

From the Publisher

06/14/2019

Gr 3–5-Matthew, a young boy with copper-toned hair, is delighted to find an empty cardboard box on the side of the road. His plans to use the box for his DIY space station quickly evaporate when his new discovery reveals itself to be a sentient object, formerly a sorcerer's toolbox. Box tells Matthew that he left the sorcerer, having been overlooked for more magical methods of building. When Matthew's parents see Box, they are stunned into a stupor. To wake them, Box brings the boy to the sorcerer's home; they must mend the sorcerer's wand before he can create a remedy. The story is underdeveloped, with lost opportunities for Matthew to gain confidence in his own skills, and there's a lack of explanation for many plot points. Still, middle grade readers are sure to love Box, whose overconfidence and haphazard tactics lead to amusing outcomes. Heidschötter's sketchlike linework and rich palette combine for appealing illustrations reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. The characters' expressive faces and Box's large, emotive eyes convey depth where the pencil-style lettered text is lacking. VERDICT Heidschötter's artwork carries a weakly plotted story. An additional purchase where middle grade graphic novels are popular.-Liz Allen, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY

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