Seen and Not Heard
Brand: Candlewick
Color: Multicolor
Categories: Books, Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life



Grade level: Kindergarten - 3
Dimensions: 11 x 0.38 x 10.13 inches
Reading age: 5 - 8 years
ISBN-13: 978-0763676124
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763676128
Publisher: Candlewick
Print length: 32 pages
Publication date: July 14, 2015
subtitle: Hardcover – Picture Book, July 14, 2015
author: Visit Amazon's Katie May Green Page search results Katie May Green
review: Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal K-Gr 3—In this picture book, English children of Shiverhawk Hall scamper down from portrait frames at night and are quite naughty, except for two look-alike girls, who seem to be almost perfect. The youngsters, who vary in age and time period, stand perfectly still during the day, but when people are asleep they come out and on this particular night make a mess with "trifle" and "treacly goo." Reminiscent of the moving portraits in the Harry Potter movies, Green's digitally altered full-color pencil illustrations are similar in style to Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen and add to the magical scene. Though not a typical picture book for an American audience, it would be fun to use to talk about portraits or imagination or to offer to readers who want something a bit spooky to read. VERDICT An additional purchase for larger picture book collections.—Jane Hebert, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL Review In Katie May Green's imaginative and accomplished debut picture book, a black cat leads readers into an ancient house in which the children in the portraits come alive...Children will return to this tale over and over, searching for all eight children during their nighttime adventure, watching the progress of three white mice in nearly every illustration, and seeing what's altered at sunrise in the pictures that line Shiverhawk Hall. Green is an author-artist to watch. —Shelf Awareness (starred review) The gray tones of the graphite and charcoal illustrations help set the mood of an old, neglected estate where everything is forgotten and dusty. Share this slightly silly yet decidedly creepy story about haunted pictures in a spooky house at Halloween or anytime. —Kirkus Reviews The overly sweet, rhyming text serves as an effective counterpoint to the children’s raucous behavior and devilish stares. Green’s digitally colored charcoal-and-graphite artwork portrays plump, pampered youngsters who have mastered the art of feigned goodness—being seen and not heard—even as they contravene that behavior at every opportunity. —Booklist Online Fun to use to talk about portraits or imagination or to offer to readers who want something a bit spooky to read. —School Library Journal About the Author Katie May Green studied art history at Bristol University and children’s book illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. Katie May Green lives in the United Kingdom. Read more