'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Friday 27 January 2017

Review: Neon Leon

Leon is a chameleon. A chameleon with a difference. While all the other chameleons change to match their surroundings--a leafy jungle, a sandy desert, craggy rocks--Leon can't seem to make the shift from fluorescent, luminescent, glow-in-the-dark, sherbety orange.

Alas, this is not overly helpful when you're a chameleon, especially if you're trying to fit in. Perhaps Leon can find other animals with a similarly endearing shade of bright?

Indeed, he does find some other animal friends of similar colour, but things don't quite work out. He'll need to keep looking if he wants to find the perfect place to be--and the perfect friend.

This is such a gorgeously unique picture book that reads aloud so well. I love Jane Clarke's inviting voice and dry humour, speaking directly with the reader in an interactive way. Although the storyline (about fitting in) is not new, this fresh take on an age-old issue is so beautifully and cleverly done.

Britta Teckentrup--a creator who consistently changes it up and never fails to delight--shines in this book, with her quirky, funny illustrations and lustrous colour palette. It's a shame the online book cover is not as vibrant as the real life cover which features a vibrant neon orange that truly pops. Internal pages, too, are like sampling visual pop rocks. Wonderful stuff.

This book will not only a be a bedtime hit, it will tickle the funny bones of classroom gaggles. Sure to become a favourite.

Title: Neon Leon
Author: Jane Clarke
Illustrator: Britta Teckentrup
Publisher: Nosy Crow, $19.99
Publication Date: 25 January 2017
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9780857638069
For ages: 3 - 7
Type: Picture Book