Henry's Map

by David Elliot, David Elliot (Illustrator)

Overview

A fun-filled introduction to maps through the eyes of an adorable pig

Henry is a very particular sort of pig. "A place for everything and everything in its place," he always says. But when he looks out his window he is troubled. The farm is a mess!  Henry is worried that nobody will be able to find anything in this mess. So he draws a map showing all the animals exactly where they belong.  And Henry embarks on a journey through the farm, his friends tagging along as he creates his map: sheep in the woolshed, chickens in the coop, the horse in the stable. After the map is complete, Henry uses it to bring himself back home, where he is relieved to know that he is exactly where he belongs. A place for everything and everything in its place, indeed.

For fans of Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth or of Winnie the Pooh, this sweet romp through the farm is adorably illustrated by David Elliot, who created the endearing animals who inhabit Brian Jacques world of Redwall.  Perfect for pre-schoolers and elemetary-schoolers learning to read maps for the first time.
Praise for Henry's Map:

*** “With appealing characters and gentle humor, this book will be a hit at storytime, or as an introduction to mapping lessons.” —School Library Journal *** (starred)
 
*** “Here’s hoping for many more Henry-centric adventures.” —Kirkus Reviews ***  (starred)
 
“Elliot’s barnyard animals brim with personality and emotion, matching the understated humor of this charming story.” —Publisher’s Weekly
 
“This story may even inspire budding cartographers to map their own world.” —Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399160721
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/27/2013
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	150,095
Product dimensions:	8.42(w) x 10.14(h) x 0.36(d)
Lexile:	AD400L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Elliot was born in Ashburton, in the South Island of New Zealand. He is an award-winning illustrator and author who has achieved international success. In America he is known for his work in the Redwall epic by Brian Jacques and The Great Tree of Avalon series by T.A. Barron.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Henry’s Map:
 
*** “With appealing characters and gentle humor, this book will be a hit at storytime, or as an introduction to mapping lessons.” —School Library Journal *** (starred)
 
*** “Here’s hoping for many more Henry-centric adventures.” —Kirkus Reviews ***  (starred)
 
“Elliot’s barnyard animals brim with personality and emotion, matching the understated humor of this charming story.” —Publisher’s Weekly
 
“This story may even inspire budding cartographers to map their own world.” —Booklist

Editorial Reviews

In a story that blends ideas about cooperation and orderliness with a gentle existential crisis, Elliot, best known for his illustrations of Brian Jacques’s Redwall books, introduces Henry, a “very organized sort of pig.” Henry takes pride in his tidy sty (“A place for everything and everything in its place,” he says, quoting the 19th-century aphorism) but decries the messy state of the farm. “How could anybody ever find anything out there?” he wonders (although the farm looks pretty darn kempt in Elliot’s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations). Henry decides to draw a map to sort things out and, armed with pencil and paper, makes his way across the barnyard. All the animals are excited to be included, falling in line behind the earnest cartographer, whose childlike, squiggly drawings are a comical counterpoint to his seriousness of purpose. From a hilltop overlooking the empty farm, the animals are puzzled when they look at the map (“Where did we go?”), and Henry quickly leads them back to their dwellings, to the relief of all concerned. Elliot’s barnyard animals brim with personality and emotion, matching the understated humor of this charming story. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

* STARRED REVIEW* "With appealing characters and gentle humor, this book will be a hit at storytime, or as an introduction to mapping lessons. Elliot’s squiggly watercolor and pencil illustrations make clever use of white space, with the pictures expanding as the confusion of the story does and receding as Henry’s world becomes orderly once again."—School Library Journal (starred review)

*STARRED REVIEW* "Henry, an adorable pig, maps his farm world and puts everything in its place. Henry likes things organized. When he realizes that the farm outside his sty is a mess, he worries that no one will be able to find anything. His solution is to draw a map. Going from the sheep's woolshed to the cow pasture to the stable and the chicken coop, Henry shows his growing creation to the animals along the way. The animals are excited to see sketches of themselves and soon join the cartography expedition, ending on the hill above the farm. The parade, with chickens and sheep taking a ride on horses and Henry's little trotters leading the way, sets the tone for comedy. When the livestock reach the top of the hill to compare the map to the actual farm, they are horrified to see that, while the map (and the hill) is filled with animals, the farm is empty! Racing back, the group checks each place and finds that now-miraculously-the animals are back in their places. Phew! Henry's face, often filled with a worried scowl, allows readers to feel his need for order. Detailed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add to the comedic timing, especially when Henry finds his face in the mirror, in the sty, right where he belongs. Here's hoping for many more Henry-centric adventures."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Praise for Henry’s Map:
 
*** “With appealing characters and gentle humor, this book will be a hit at storytime, or as an introduction to mapping lessons.” —School Library Journal *** (starred)
 
*** “Here’s hoping for many more Henry-centric adventures.” —Kirkus Reviews ***  (starred)
 
“Elliot’s barnyard animals brim with personality and emotion, matching the understated humor of this charming story.” —Publisher’s Weekly
 
“This story may even inspire budding cartographers to map their own world.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 2—Henry likes to keep things organized, so he decides to make a map of the farm. As he travels the barnyard drawing his own pigsty, the woolshed and sheep, the chicken coop, and the stables, the other animals are excited by his project and join him. Map finished, the piglet leads them proudly up the hill to compare the map to the farm itself-only to find that none of the animals are where they are supposed to be. "Where did we go?" they ask. They dash back to check each location, and when they arrive, they are relieved to find everyone in the right place. With appealing characters and gentle humor, this book will be a hit at storytime, or as an introduction to mapping lessons. Elliot's squiggly watercolor and pencil illustrations make clever use of white space, with the pictures expanding as the confusion of the story does and receding as Henry's world becomes orderly once again.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

School Library Journal

Henry, an adorable pig, maps his farm world and puts everything in its place. Henry likes things organized. When he realizes that the farm outside his sty is a mess, he worries that no one will be able to find anything. His solution is to draw a map. Going from the sheep's woolshed to the cow pasture to the stable and the chicken coop, Henry shows his growing creation to the animals along the way. The animals are excited to see sketches of themselves and soon join the cartography expedition, ending on the hill above the farm. The parade, with chickens and sheep taking a ride on horses and Henry's little trotters leading the way, sets the tone for comedy. When the livestock reach the top of the hill to compare the map to the actual farm, they are horrified to see that, while the map (and the hill) is filled with animals, the farm is empty! Racing back, the group checks each place and finds that now--miraculously--the animals are back in their places. Phew! Henry's face, often filled with a worried scowl, allows readers to feel his need for order. Detailed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add to the comedic timing, especially when Henry finds his face in the mirror, in the sty, right where he belongs. Here's hoping for many more Henry-centric adventures. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews