This is a sweet story about an animal who doesn’t know what it is. It looks like a cross between a sheep and a dog to me but the characters in the book call it all different animals- a monkey, rat, pigeon. Then it finds a friend and the unknown animal asks “Don’t you want to know what I am?” and the rabbit says- “I know what you are. You are my friend.” awww. So the story isn’t the best part. The illustrations are amazing. They are all made from fabrics and stitches and buttons. The main character is made of long stiches to create crazy fur. Eyes are buttons, pieces of lace for collars, a safety pin for an earring. I’m not even sure how I found this book (I think it might have been an Amazon recommendation which is scary) because most of Beatrice Alemagna’s books are in French or Italian. This one has been translated. It seems she has written and illustrated many children’s books as well as designed some posters. It’s hard to find out information on her because it all needs to be translated and then it reads funny but you can learn more here.

© Julia Rothman 2007