Ta-Da!

March 19, 2018
A girl is having tea with her stuffed animals in a makeshift castle when a boy dressed in a wizard costume appears in the doorway. “DUN DUN DUH!” writes debut author Davis. As the sound effect suggests, the wizard wreaks havoc on the castle. But with a rousing “Ta-Da!” the girl pretends that her dog is a friendly, flying pink dragon and they escape. More back and forth ensues, and ultimately the boy and girl join forces for a magic show, snack time, and one last adventure, trading musical signatures or singing them in unison. Debut illustrator Juanita taps into the free-for-all that is imaginative play, with a veritable explosion of magical motifs filling the pages. Her round-eyed characters at times resemble paper dolls, lending them an off-putting stiffness. But Davis has a lively voice; playful typography gives the mild comedy an extra nudge, and the singsong sound effects invite reader involvement. Ages 3–5.

May 1, 2018
Two children use pets, toys, and props to create an imaginary world of endless scope and possibilities."Once upon a time," a brown-skinned girl with puffy hair is playing happily in a crystal castle (pillow fort) with her (stuffed) animal friends, when..."dun dun DUH!" A dragon comes (a pet terrier), accompanied by a pale-skinned boy wearing magician's clothing. The dragon breathes fire and destroys the girl's castle. But--"Ta-Da!"--the girl uses her wand to "turn the dragon into a kind dragon," and off they fly together. But then ("dun dun DUH!") the boy becomes a pirate and takes the girl and the dragon prisoners. Then the girl escapes and takes "an island vacation." The boy's "dun dun DUH!" plot twists and the girl's "Ta-Da!" solutions alternate (as does the typeface) until the boy walks away, disappointed. After living happily for a while with her dragon, the girl goes to check on the boy, who has become a magician ready to put on a show. She helps him by providing an audience of stuffed animals and joining the show, then they run to the kitchen for a snack ("Ta-Da!"), continuing to imagine treasures and underwater adventures together. The bold, expressive illustrations blend the children's real world with their imaginary worlds, creating a lively display on the page. The only thing better than reading about this full day of play is having one in real life. (Picture book. 3-8)

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June 1, 2018

K-Gr 2-Trapped inside on a rainy day, two children compete to control the narrative of their vividly imagined play scenarios. A girl and her animal friends are happily ensconced in their castle, (a blanket/box fort with stuffed animals) when "DUN DUN DUH! A dragon came! He scared the animals! He wrecked the castle!" A dog wearing dragon wings and a boy burst into the room. The quick-thinking girl grabs her magic wand and "Ta-Da!" transforms the dragon into a friend. The girl continues to thwart every dramatic scenario the boy presents until, fed up, he leaves. Eventually, even peace gets boring and the girl finds the boy dejectedly trying to put on a magic show alone. She shares her magic wand and they discover that imagining together is much more rewarding. The text is fun to read; each character is represented by a separate font and color, so it's evident when the girl starts presenting the problems and the boy becomes the problem solver; at the end, they share the magic wand as equal partners in their play. Loads of imaginative detail in the illustrations and appealing button-eyed characters make this a good choice for classroom use and one-on-one reading. VERDICT A lighthearted look at imaginative play and friendship, perfect for storytime or readers' theater productions.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
A fair-skinned boy and a brown-skinned girl play competitive make-believe ("DUN DUN DUH! / A dragon came!"; "Ta-Da! The girl turned the dragon into a kind dragon") until they satisfyingly join forces. The all-dialogue text differentiates voice using font color (red and purple). The mixed-media illustrations feature chubby, wide-eyed characters and ground the fantasy with homey details such as a blanket fort, stuffies, and a pet dog.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)