Piccadilly and the Waltzing Wind

This joyful if unfocused autumn tale, a follow-up to Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka (2014), continues the adventures of a blue-eyed, brunette girl with a big imagination. Piccadilly admires the way leaves “dance with the wind” in her backyard and wants to do the same. The wind, however, isn’t cooperative, and as she puzzles over her quandary, she befriends a talking squirrel named Sir Bartleby, who fancies himself a knight and is busy gathering acorns. After consulting with her older brother, Sam, Piccadilly builds and flies a kite to capture the experience of dancing with the wind; sure enough, the wind lifts the kite into the air—and Piccadilly along with it. Hwang works in a vibrant palette of vermilion, orange, and maroon, mimicking the brightest colors of fall’s foliage. There’s a decidedly retro look to the artwork, and swirls of sparkles, leaves, and acorn caps (as well as cameos from tiny autumnal fairies) create a strong sense of seasonal magic. It’s a languid and somewhat meandering story, but it should be appreciated by readers who share Piccadilly’s dreamy outlook. Ages 4–8. (BookLife)