Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the blog tour for The Perfect Seat hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I am thrilled to share my thoughts on this book with you! Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom!
Author: Minh Lê & Gus Gordon (Illustrator)
Pub. Date: November 12, 2019
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 32
This child and their parent are almost ready for story time--but first, they must find the perfect seat! This cozy picture book by Drawn Together author Minh Lê takes readers through various opposites ("Too rough! Too slippery!") as his characters search for just the right spot. Adorable art by acclaimed illustrator Gus Gordon invites adults and children to giggle all the way through to the heartwarming ending, when the answer falls right into their laps.
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I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.
The Perfect Seat was a really sweet book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading with my monsters. They're always fighting over who gets to sit in my lap, since everyone's too big now to comfortably share the space (my lap and the chair). I've tried reading to them individually, but all three of them want to listen as soon as there's a book in my hand. Life problems, right? Haha! I'm not going to complain about this one though.
I thought the story was simple, yet effective. It conveys a sense of playfulness when viewed from the child's perspective, while also showing an adult's frustration when circumstances are not exactly right. We see the child in this book being flexible -- too flexible at times -- and how they were less defeated by the perceived failures.
The illustrations were very unique and eye-catching! I liked how some of the book was in color, while other aspects were just stencils and outlines. There were also images that looked like they'd been cut out and then pasted onto the pages, which was distracting in the best way. All of this added a depth to the pictures that really enhanced the overall story.
I highly recommend The Perfect Seat, and already know a few nieces and nephews that will be getting this as a gift next month! Side note: I was supposed to review this book on the 8th, but there were distribution issues that caused a delay.
I am the author of Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature) illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, Let Me Finish! (named an NPR Best Book of 2016) illustrated by Isabel Roxas, and The Perfect Seat illustrated by Gus Gordon (all published by Disney-Hyperion). I am also writing Green Lantern: Legacy, a graphic novel (illustrated by Andie Tong) for the new DC Comics middle grade imprint, DC Zoom. In addition to writing books, I have written for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, The Horn Book, NPR, and HuffPost.
About Gus:
Gus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and written over 80 books for children.
His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour. His writing is always anthropomorphic – where animals take the place of humans in the narrative. He attributes this to his love of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in The Willows. His picture book 'Herman and Rosie' (Penguin), a musical love story set in New York, was sold at auction in New York to US publisher Neal Porter Books (Macmillan) and has since been sold into twelve countries. It has been adapted for the stage by several theatre companies, was chosen as the ‘Read for Australia’ book and won the 2013 CBCA 'Honour Award' for best picture book. It has also been shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Award, the Sakura Medal in Japan, the Kirico book awards in Spain, the Les Incorruptibles prize in France and the Premio Anderson Children's Book awards in Italy.
In 2016 Gus was nominated for the prestigious 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA). It is the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature.
Gus’s latest picture book 'Somewhere Else' was recently published by Penguin Australia and is soon be released in the US with Neal Porter Books.
Gus is represented by Charlie Olsen of Inkwell Management.
He lives with his wife and three kids on the Northern beaches of Sydney.
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE PERFECT SEAT, US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
Week One:
11/4/2019-For the Love of KidLit Excerpt
11/5/2019-Bookhounds YA Excerpt
11/6/2019-She Dreams in Fiction Review
11/7/2019-Wonder Struck Review
11/8/2019-Do You Dog-ear? Review
Week Two:
11/11/2019-Savings in Seconds Review
11/12/2019-Southern Girl Bookaholic Review
11/13/2019-Little Red Reads Review
11/14/2019-Nerdophiles Review
11/15/2019-Inspired by Savannah Review
Week Three:
11/18/2019-Here's to Happy Endings Review
11/19/2019-@fictitious.fox Review
11/20/2019-A Gingerly Review Review
11/21/2019-A Dream Within A Dream Excerpt
11/22/2019-Reading Is My SuperPower Review
Week Four:
11/25/2019-Life Within The Pages Review
11/26/2019-DWantsToRead Review
11/27/2019-BookishRealmReviews Review
11/28/2019-Two points of interest Review
11/29/2019-onemused Review
Week Five:
12/2/2019-Delilah Bluette Review
11/5/2019-Bookhounds YA Excerpt
11/6/2019-She Dreams in Fiction Review
11/7/2019-Wonder Struck Review
11/8/2019-Do You Dog-ear? Review
Week Two:
11/11/2019-Savings in Seconds Review
11/12/2019-Southern Girl Bookaholic Review
11/13/2019-Little Red Reads Review
11/14/2019-Nerdophiles Review
11/15/2019-Inspired by Savannah Review
Week Three:
11/18/2019-Here's to Happy Endings Review
11/19/2019-@fictitious.fox Review
11/20/2019-A Gingerly Review Review
11/21/2019-A Dream Within A Dream Excerpt
11/22/2019-Reading Is My SuperPower Review
Week Four:
11/25/2019-Life Within The Pages Review
11/26/2019-DWantsToRead Review
11/27/2019-BookishRealmReviews Review
11/28/2019-Two points of interest Review
11/29/2019-onemused Review
Week Five:
12/2/2019-Delilah Bluette Review
How adorable is the illustration?! I like that shows us how 'real' parenting is.
ReplyDeleteRight? The illustrations are fantastic! I thought the story was simple, but impactful. As adults, we tend to want things to be perfect, and we forget that children are happy just to do something with us. <3
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