Frazier's (The Illustrated Voice
) graphically expressive debut children's title innocuously begins as the story of a man and his truck on a searing, dusty day. But it soon sheds its initial pragmatism for a dreamlike flight of fancy. Reflecting the author's background in design and illustration, the full-bleed, digitally colored artwork consists of simple forms and silhouettes with occasional pixel-like shadows suggesting three-dimensionality. Stanley, a typical Frazier figure, "[sets] out on a drive with little on his mind" in his red, vintage pickup truck, sporting a vest, shirtsleeves and brimmed hat. Austere sentences underscore the normalcy: "There wasn't a cloud in the sky, just the baking hot sun…. The pond was so dry that it couldn't even make a reflection." Passing a herd of black cows, however, Stanley brings his truck to a halt; he approaches the lone spotted one with buckets, a stool and "an idea." After milking the animal, he tosses the buckets' contents into the air, and the milk fluidly morphs into clouds. A storm brings rain and respite, transforming the parched and yellowed landscape into a verdant wonderland. The theme of finding magic in the mundane should appeal to readers of all ages who are perhaps already familiar with the enchantments that can be found in a seemingly ordinary day in the country. Ages 4-8 (Aug.)
