The Whole Hole Story

October 12, 2020
When the hole in Zia’s pocket takes on a life of its own, is she daunted? Not at all, writes debut author McInerny, striking a genial, why-the-heck-not tone: “Zia might have been afraid except that this was an imaginary hole, so it could only be as scary as she allowed, which was, in this case, not scary at all.” In short and very fast order, the “obviously wonderful hole” becomes a fishing hole, a swimming hole, a watering hole, and then a portal to the other side of the Earth, which brown-skinned Zia traverses with a newly acquired elephant friend. Zia approaches each turn with a can-do attitude and attendant wardrobe changes, driving the giddy momentum forward as an “empty, muddy hole” becomes mud stairs “and more pies than she could count.” Lamug (Petro and the Flea King) portrays Zia as a perpetual motion machine who never does anything halfway, whether she’s celebrating her mud pie–making skills with a chorus line of baking utensils or chasing a mirror image of herself. With a charismatic protagonist like this, it’s a safe bet that this story probably won’t be the last. Ages 4–7. Illustrator’s agent: Andrea Cascardi, Transatlantic Agency.

November 1, 2020
A child creates adventures with a marvelous, mind-bending hole. It begins as a hole in Zia's pocket. As the hole grows bigger and bigger, it falls to the ground. One day, Zia falls through the hole, but since it is "an imaginary hole," Zia isn't scared. Zia sits at the bottom of the hole and considers what to do. She decides to make a fishing hole, and then a swimming hole, and then a watering hole, and then a hole to the other side of the Earth. Throughout her adventures, she encounters friendly animals and handy playthings, and she stays in control of events to the very end. Zia is a brave, adventurous Black girl with afro puffs and bright red overalls, and she always knows what she needs and how to get it. The story goes on at some length, but the absurdity remains entertaining as the scenes change, and the ending is surprisingly satisfying. Engaging illustrations set bright, cartoon characters against largely pastel backgrounds. The self-made adventure is reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon with its unpredictable, child-controlled narrative in which imagination takes one around the world and back home again. Readers who have afro puffs themselves may give the side-eye to the line "She fell so fast, her hair fell up," but otherwise the tale succeeds nicely. An adventure worth sharing. (Picture book. 3-8)

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December 15, 2020
Grades K-3 This charmer of a picture book takes an Alice in Wonderland approach to a young girl's discovery of a hole. Zia, a spunky Black girl brimming with imagination, finds a hole in her pocket, which grows bigger and bigger until, one day, she falls through it. Confident that this is "an imaginary hole," Zia knows she doesn't need to be afraid, as she can transform the hole into anything her imagination can muster. She begins by conjuring a fishing hole, where she quickly catches (and returns) an enormous fish. In the next spread, she is outfitted in a bathing suit and prepares to do a cannonball into what is now a swimming hole. From there, Zia imagines a lion that joins other African animals at the newly created watering hole. Several more clever scenarios play out until, in a slightly meta twist, Zia returns home to put the hole back in her pocket. Saturated artwork includes realistic and whimsical images that match Zia's rapidly changing imaginings. A vivacious tribute to creative thinking and play.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2021
Zia, a brown-skinned girl with a huge afro puff and an expansive imagination, discovers a hole in her pocket. Then the hole moves to the ground and enlarges, and Zia falls in. ("She might have been afraid except that this was an imaginary hole, so it could only be as scary as she allowed, which was, in this case, not scary at all. 'I hate scary stories,' said Zia.") Wearing overalls that are transformed from drab brown to vibrant red and yellow when she travels from her sepia-toned world to one of full color, Zia creates her own fantastical adventures, always centering the hole. She fills it with water and uses a bow-tie-wearing worm to catch a regal-looking fish; she then declares the hole a swimming hole and cannonballs in, among other exploits. Throughout, Zia and her ingenious imagination remain in complete control. Lamug's innovative and zany colorful illustrations, created with "pencil, paper and some computer magic," exude joy and endless possibilities, portraying Zia in perpetual motion. The continuity of the backgrounds within this circular tale often suggests that Zia hasn't traveled far, but given that her overalls stay colorful at the end of the story, it's clear that her creative adventures have changed everything. A trip you won't want to miss with a kid who can take you anywhere. Pair with Barnett and Klassen's Sam & Dave Dig a Hole (rev. 11/14). Michelle H. Martin

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2021
Zia, a brown-skinned girl with a huge afro puff and an expansive imagination, discovers a hole in her pocket. Then the hole moves to the ground and enlarges, and Zia falls in. ("She might have been afraid except that this was an imaginary hole, so it could only be as scary as she allowed, which was, in this case, not scary at all. 'I hate scary stories,' said Zia.") Wearing overalls that are transformed from drab brown to vibrant red and yellow when she travels from her sepia-toned world to one of full color, Zia creates her own fantastical adventures, always centering the hole. She fills it with water and uses a bow-tie-wearing worm to catch a regal-looking fish; she then declares the hole a swimming hole and cannonballs in, among other exploits. Throughout, Zia and her ingenious imagination remain in complete control. Lamug's innovative and zany colorful illustrations, created with "pencil, paper and some computer magic," exude joy and endless possibilities, portraying Zia in perpetual motion. The continuity of the backgrounds within this circular tale often suggests that Zia hasn't traveled far, but given that her overalls stay colorful at the end of the story, it's clear that her creative adventures have changed everything. A trip you won't want to miss with a kid who can take you anywhere. Pair with Barnett and Klassen's Sam & Dave Dig a Hole (rev. 11/14).

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)