Fly!

In his debut, Edwards lets his artwork do most of the storytelling. Fly, his bean-size hero, has a pair of petite wings, two pairs of arms (because he’s an insect), and wide, wondering yellow eyes. Fly needs help to work out what, exactly, he’s supposed to be doing as an insect, and his friends are happy to oblige. The giggles come in spreads that scroll from left to right, all at the same, bug’s-eye level, as Fly tries to mimic his peers. He waves his legs in the air as he attempts to roll up like a pill bug, chomps doubtfully on leaves like a caterpillar, and collapses when he tries to dig like a beetle. In a sweetly understated triumphal sequence, Fly discovers that he can, in fact, fly. The text is no more than a dozen or so action verbs (“Wiggle! Wiggle? Jump! Jump! Jump?”), a draw for beginning readers. An afterword identifies Fly’s companions and supplies a more detailed, traditional portrait of each one. The story could be an allegory for a turn toward a new career—fly, Mr. Edwards! Ages 2–5. (Mar.)