Pip & Pup

by Eugene Yelchin, Eugene Yelchin (Illustrator)

Overview

An adorable baby chick and puppy become barnyard friends in this wordless picture book from Newbery Honor author Eugene Yelchin.

Across the barnyard, Pip the chick spots a new friend to play with—Pup! But Pup isn't sure he likes how Pip plays—too rough. These two friends will weather the storm though. A bright, fun celebration of spring and friendship!

- GODWIN BOOKS -

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250313935
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	04/24/2018
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Eugene Yelchin is the author and illustrator of Spring Hare, The Haunting of Falcon House, Arcady's Goal, and the Newbery Honor book Breaking Stalin's Nose. He has also illustrated several books for children, including Crybaby, Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?, and Won Ton. He lives in California with his wife and children.

Editorial Reviews

04/16/2018
In this wordless barnyard comedy by Yelchin (Breaking Stalin's Nose), opening vignettes show a golden-yellow chick hatching out of a shell. Pip is already looking for a playmate when she spies Pup, a patient hound, lying under a tractor. Pip's first overture—a brisk peck on the nose—elicits a chase, and Pip takes cover in her old eggshell. During a sudden rain squall, the smaller half of the shell becomes a hat—an adorable moment—and Pip offers a shell hat to Pup, too. Things don't end well for the shell (Pup's a little clumsy), but a final spread offers a new toy. The pair's diminutive scale is underlined by the beefy tractor wheels that shelter Pup, and the snout of an inquiring cow. Colored-pencil and pastel rubbed over toothed paper produce areas of texture that give the spreads a warm feel. The casting of Pip as the comic and Pup as the straight man offers vaudeville-style humor for preschoolers. Over-the-top facial expressions make the emotions of the two characters easy to read; even the youngest can work out how they feel. Ages 4–8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"A delightful tale that invites interpretation and almost demands giggles at the antics of the expressive chick and puppy." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on Pip & Pup

"Children will delight in the whimsical pictures of the resilient and clever chick, discouraged by no obstacle. Yelchin’s quirky illustrations in pastel colors and graphite are delightful. His characters’ expressive faces and bodies create a story which needs no words to convey their lively friendship." —Booklist on Pip & Pup

"Yelchin’s visual humor here is spot-on for preschoolers; his wordless storytelling is flawless; and his palette of spring colors and use of colored pencils and oil pastels on highly textured paper bring life and energy to the page." —The Horn Book on Pip & Pup

"This story is perfect for a quick but quiet burst of adventure before bedtime." —Bookpage on Pip & Pup

From the Publisher

★ 05/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—This wordless tale of friendship sparkles with engaging action and gentle humor. Pip, a bright-eyed chick, wiggles and scoots out of a just-cracked shell, emerging to survey the barnyard. Spying Pup peacefully snoozing under a tractor, Pip heads over and pecks the pooch on the nose. An exuberant chase ensues, with Pip running hither and yon before finding refuge back inside the bottom half of the shell. When a storm rolls in, the clever chick uses the other half as a rain hat, and eventually shares the shell with Pup, who is once again huddled beneath the tractor trying to stay dry. As the clouds clear and the sun emerges, the two play a merry game, with Pup placing the halves on head, tail, and nose, until the shell, alas, is accidentally crushed. Never fear, Pup is more than willing to share a bright green tennis ball, and the two friends are ready for more fun. The collage artwork, rich with springtime hues and eye-pleasing textures, vividly depicts the action, and dynamic lines and expressive details create strong characterizations for the protagonists. VERDICT Kids will enjoy poring over the pictures for visual clues, interpreting the events, and imagining future adventures for this appealing duo.—Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs

School Library Journal

★ 2018-02-19
A newly hatched chick befriends a beagle puppy in this humorous, wordless picture book set outdoors on a farm. The baby chick, identified as Pip in the title, hatches on the first page, emerging over the course of a series of six vignettes in a progressive illustration that sets the tone for the amusing expressions on the faces of the two main characters throughout the story. Pip immediately looks for a companion and spies a beagle puppy sleeping under a tractor. What happens when a chick pecks at a sleeping dog's nose? Pup explodes with loud barks, and Pip runs right back to safety in the empty eggshell halves. There Pip shelters during a sudden thunderstorm. Pup is afraid of the thunder, so Pip offers one half of the eggshell as a rain hat for Pup. The two characters begin to play with the shells, and friendship and morning dawn at the same time. When Pup accidentally shatters the eggshells, the dog fetches a green ball, rolling it to Pip in a friendly gesture. The concluding page is open-ended, with Pip standing next to the ball, conveying possibilities that await readers' interpretation (or a sequel). Charmingly varied illustrations with soft, cheery colors and speckled textures display a gamut of emotions from abject loneliness to blissful companionship.A delightful tale that invites interpretation and almost demands giggles at the antics of the expressive chick and puppy. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews