Ken's Great Adventure
PreSchool-Grade 2–Ken journeys through countrysides and villages on his silver scooter. The map of the world that he painted on his helmet fuels his imagination: Over his left temple sat the continent of North America. The right side of his head was protected by Asia. Detailed, black-ink line art follows winding trails and provides aerial perspectives of the landscape. Text printed in red and a splash of the color on Ken's T-shirt offer a dramatic contrast to the otherwise black-and-white pictures. While they show his epic quest, the story line is strained and plodding: The boy with the huge helmet on his head brought to mind Atlas, the giant on whose shoulders the heavens rested according to Greek mythology. This slight tale is an additional purchase.–Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, CanadaCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.