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Whistle for Willie

Book Summary

Reviewed by Ann Marie Sammataro

Oh, how Peter wished he could whistle! Fiercely billowing out his cheeks to no avail, Peter endeavors to whistle for his dog, Willie. Keats's bright collages artfully convey a child's delight in the simple pleasures, as Peter whiles away his afternoon diligently practicing and playing impromptu games.

Is It Any Good?

4

In WHISTLE FOR WILLIE, Ezra Jack Keats celebrates a child's ingenuity and remarkable ability to turn a mundane object or situation into a game. Although this book was written more than 30 years ago, the simple activities that enchant Peter are still enjoyed by children today. Keats' extraordinary mixed-media collages, consisting in part of paintings and cut paper, create an almost three-dimensional feel to the pages.

In many instances the fanciful pictures expand on the simply worded text. For example, after spinning around, Peter attempts to regain his equilibrium. The accompanying illustration features a heaving, arching sidewalk with Peter and a traffic-light post tilting forward and then backward. The small but telling detail of the colored lights floating away from the post perfectly conveys that exhilarating, topsy-turvy feeling one gets after a dizzying spin.

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