Synopses & Reviews
Help ZigZag the alligator get his vowels back in this playful picture book from beloved author-illustrator Julie Paschkis
There's nothing ZigZag enjoys more than tasting his words as he uses them, plays with them, and enjoys them, for ZigZag is a lover of words But one day, excited and energized, he gulps down all his vowels while exploring and enjoying the word "tambourine." Without A, E, I, O, and U, ZigZag's life is turned upside-down: no more lovely tambourines, only tasteless and dull tmbrns; no more tart green apples, only disappointing ppls. Poor ZigZag can't even get any sleep in his comfy, cozy bed, which is now a too short bd. But vowels are all around ZigZag, from his grandmother's satisfied "Aaahs" to his best friend Beanie's amazed "Ooohs." Can you help ZigZag find his vowels again?
This is a wonderful romp through language that reminds readers to taste their words, even at the risk of swallowing them--for how else to know if they are sweet or bitter; salty, crunchy, or smooth? It is also a companion volume, with a twist, to Paschkis's The Wordy Book.
Review
"This cheery story about delighting in words and wordplay will appeal to readers who enjoy increasing their vocabularies and testing the sounds and feel of new terms....A veritable feast for word connoisseurs." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Gracefully wrought flowers and fruit give each image the feel of a stately tableau in this perception-oriented picture book exploration of words." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Julie Paschkis uses her distinctive style of colorful folk art to confect a book of wordplay with ZigZag….Young readers are given a new respect for the humble vowels that make words possible." Wall Street Journal
Review
"Librarians should put this on the top of 'to read' piles: it is very imaginative and attractive." Katrina Yurenka, Youth Services Book Review (Starred Review)
About the Author
Julie Paschkis is a painter, textile designer, and award-winning illustrator of more than 25 books for children, many of which she also wrote. She loves vivid language and art that tells stories.