The Clothesline

Compact, blond Reggie, five, lives with his mother in a brick building “above the corner store.” He loves to race downstairs to buy candy with his allowance, and when his mom is not watching (“it would scare her”), he yanks their clothesline’s pulley knot to hear its springy “ftoiiing!” One day, he slips, grabs the taut cord, and finds himself swinging high above the yard. In minimalist images, Orbie (illustrator of Sloth at the Zoom) milks the situation from all angles, moment by moment; cutaway views show Reggie’s mother relaxing in their apartment, wearing headphones, as Reggie dangles above the ground. Nobody except Reggie and a black cat witness the resolution, and a typeface resembling hand-lettering highlights the boy’s personal voice. Translated from the French and first published in Canada, this quaint comics-style picture book may startle U.S. audiences with Reggie’s independence while offering readers an opportunity to reflect on why Reggie swallows his tears, keeping his error and his reasonable fear a secret. Ages 5–8. [em](Oct.) [/em]