Sonata for Fish and Boy

A child and a fish form a lifelong bond over their mutual love of music in this transportive wordless picture book by Pavlovic´. Rendered in colored inks and pencils, the book opens in blue-accented grayscale with a smiling, big-eyed fish that’s drawn to the surface by the sound of a child playing violin on a nearby bench. When the pale boy snuggles down for a nap, the fish floats out of the water and awakens him before, together, the duo flies over now vibrantly colored landscapes: past a trio of musicians entertaining dancers in a warm-toned town square; past crooning birds in shades of green, to bounce off planets in a cool-toned cosmos; and more. Returning to the opening palette, the book closes with the child as an older, cane-using figure, playing violin once again for the fish to jump into his arms. An inventive celebration of music, imagination, and friendship. Ages 3–7. (May)