BARNETT, Mac (text) Jon Klassen (illus.) Sam & Dave Dig a Hole Walker, 2014 unpaged $24.95 ISBN 9781406357769 SCIS 1676374
This is a picture book about 2 brothers digging a hole in search of ‘something spectacular’. I love the clever play between Barnett’s words and Klassen’s illustrations. Children will delight in spotting clues hidden in the pictures that are not apparent in the text. There is something spectacular buried in their backyard. Do they find it? You’ll need to read the book to find out. I particularly enjoy the expressions on the face of their charming little brown dog. At the end Sam and Dave dig so deep that they get very tired and fall asleep only to find themselves tumbling down to land in their own backyard… but is it their backyard? Tiny visual clues suggest otherwise. I recommend this story for 4 years and up.
reviewed by Wendy Fitzgerald