Imogene Comes Back!

by David Small

Overview

35 years after Imogene woke up with antlers, she's back! The follow up to the classic, Imogene's Antlers by Caldecott Award winning David Small.

One day, Imogene woke up to discover that she had sprouted antlers overnight. Her family was confused, her mother was distraught and there was no explanation. Then she woke up the next day and they were gone, but were replaced by something just as curious.

Now Imogene has found she has a new curious feature every day. Some are helpful, some are sweet, some are downright strange. But all of them upset her poor mother who just can't handle how improper it all is. Yet even as Imogene discovers something new every day, she always remains Imogene at heart.

David Small returns to one of his most beloved characters in this charming tale.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593123768
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Lexile:	AD560L (what's this?)
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

David Small is a writer and illustrator who grew up in Detroit, Michigan, studied art and English at Wayne State University, and completed his graduate studies in art at Yale University. In addition to children's books, David makes editorial drawings for such publications as the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and is a frequent contributor to many national magazines as well. David also writes book reviews for the New York Times Book Review. Recognition for David's books include The Caldecott Medal (So You Want To Be President?, 2001), The Caldecott Honor (The Gardener, 1998; One Cool Friend 2012), National Book Award Finalist (Stitches, 2009 and The Underneath, 2008), Christopher Award (That Book Woman, 2009 and The Gardener, 1998), ABBY Award Honor Book (The Gardener, 1997 and The Library, 1995), The New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year (The Library, 1995), and a Featured Selection for more than 10 years on Reading Rainbow (Imogene's Antlers, 1985).

Editorial Reviews

08/31/2020

Thirty-five years after she sprouted antlers and peacock feathers, Imogene, that far pluckier version of Gregor Samsa, awakens, and “it appeared that the parade of peculiarities would proceed.” It begins with Imogene acquiring a giraffe’s neck; then comes an elephant’s nose and ears, followed by butterfly wings. This time, there’s no period of adjustment—Imogene is an old hand by now, and her self-possession is one of the book’s delights. Her patrician family remains beyond nonplussed (her mother swoons; her father suggests, “Send her to art school!”), while the household staff is quick to spot the utility of it all: Mrs. Perkins puts elephantized Imogene to work watering the garden. Small’s pen, ink, and watercolor drawings are as sly as ever, rendered in creamy tones befitting Imogene’s posh lifestyle and punctuated by sublime goofiness—and reminding readers that being able to roll with change is a useful part of transformation. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

“This sweet and funny story has an important message about acceptance.” –School Library Journal, Starred Review

“This joyful ode to imagination offers readers plenty of encouragement to buck conformity and celebrate what makes them extraordinary” –Shelf Awareness

“Watercolor drawings are as sly as ever, rendered in creamy tones befitting Imogene’s posh lifestyle and punctuated by sublime goofiness—and reminding readers that being able to roll with change is a useful part of transformation.” –Publisher’s Weekly
 

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2020

PreS-Gr 2—This is a charming follow-up to Small's Imogene's Antlers. It all starts one day when Imogene wakes up to find that a pair of antlers had grown on her head overnight. The next day, a peacock's tail has sprouted. This parade of peculiarities is only just beginning. Every day Imogene wakes up with a new surprise. The excitement is just too much for her family, especially her poor mother who simply can't cope. True to herself despite the curious new features, Imogene is able to find the best in every situation. While sporting a long giraffe neck, she discovers a lost football. With her elephant trunk, she is able to water the entire garden. Despite Imogene's positive attitude, it is all too much for her family, and just as they are about to give up and send her away, Imogene wakes up as herself without any additions. And then there's a twist! The illustrations are soft and colorful in Small's signature style. VERDICT This sweet and funny story has an important message about acceptance. A highly recommended purchase, especially for fans of the first book.—Elizabeth Blake, Fields Corner Lib., Dorchester, MA

School Library Journal

2020-07-14
Imogene has many peculiarities, but she carries them with great aplomb.

She has a long history of growing, albeit temporarily, animal appendages. Her most famous animal accouterments were a huge rack of antlers and a lovely display of peacock feathers, as seen in Imogene’s Antlers (1985). She is a curious child, always eager to see what the day brings, perhaps more antlers or something new and different. When she wakes up with a giraffe’s long neck and horns, her family is “stupefied,” but she is delighted. In fact, she uses her new height to find her brother’s football and helps her neighbor’s kitten down from a tree. Another day she sports an elephant head and trunk, happily helping one of the servants water flowers. When she flies about on her butterfly wings, her mother reacts in anger and embarrassment to her daughter’s multiple transformations. Imogene relishes her uniqueness and uses it wisely and kindly. When Imogene returns to her normal self, everyone is ecstatic. But then something amazing and totally unexpected happens. Small has great fun resurrecting this iconic character. Sharp-eyed readers will notice toy animals that influence Imogene’s appearance. She and her family and neighbors present White and have a privileged status. Oddly, even though the cook and the kitchen maid have the same names as the White-appearing characters in the first book, here in at least one illustration they appear to be people of color, though the brownness of their skin varies from page to page—an unnecessary and off-putting change.

Charming Imogene is one of a kind, but the original is still the better work. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews