By Deborah Marcero
G.P. Putnam’s Sons 2020
Picture book, 40 pages, ages 3-7
Llewellyn the bunny collects things in jars. Ordinary things and hard to hold things, to remember where he’s been and what he’s done. He meets Evelyn and together they collect more things in jars, even things that you’d think wouldn’t fit in a jar. Then one day, Evelyn has sad news: her family is moving to a new town.
Llewellyn misses her and, after a sleepless night, he gets an idea: he’ll send a jar full of night sky to Evelyn. Evelyn knows just what to do: she sends a jar back to Llewellyn. And so their friendship continues. Maybe there’s even an extra jar for someone else…
This is a book I would have loved as a child, and still love as an adult. More “quiet” in tone with lots of quirky details, the imaginative, sparse text pairs brilliantly with simple, richly textured illustrations. The story shines; while there is a lesson that can be gleaned in this book, it’s the endearing characters that carry the story and make you fall in love with them.
I especially loved the gorgeous cover. The details in the endpapers aren’t to be overlooked, either; they’re special.
This would be a perfect book for story time, quiet time, or bedtime.