* “With a directness similar to Jordan Scott’s I Talk Like a River, this story addresses the stigma surrounding dyslexia. . . . [Talbott] does a brilliant job of illuminating the feeling of dyslexia through his watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. . . . Leavened with humor, charm, and a child’s self-empowerment, this is an important book both for struggling readers and for classmates who need to cultivate a dose of empathy.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“Seamless interplay between the text and the art, rendered in ink, colored pencil, and watercolor, amplifies the text. . . . . Emphasizing sheer persistence as the way through, this is a personal, visually arresting read for those who may find themselves learning at a different pace. Back matter features an author’s note.” —Publishers Weekly
“Expressive picture book. . . . The imaginative illustrations show a boy running from a flock of flying books, confined behind a wall of gray bricks covered in small-print words, and lost in a forest where the undulating roots and branches of trees are covered with complex terminology. An encouraging picture book for those who struggle with reading.” —Booklist
“In the watercolor, colored-pencil, and ink pictures, books fly at him like so many bats or birds of prey; trees are menacingly twisted into and around words; and an entire spread of newsprint becomes a gray, densely packed ‘Wall of Shame.’ He feels ‘alone and lost in a world of words’ and worries; what if his classmates find out he can’t keep up with them? As he comes up with strategies to forge his own path . . . the illustrations’ palette slowly lightens. Then he begins to experiment with how to write stories. . . . In an appended note, Talbott relates his childhood struggle with dyslexia and how he wrote this story to help others.” —Horn Book
“Expertly captures the claustrophobic crush of unknown vocabulary, first as a downpour of squiggles from the sky, then as a gnarled, dark forest with words lining the branches. . . . . Talbott excels at evincing concepts visually, and this talent is in evidence here as his protagonist first struggles then gains mastery, surfing confidently down a wave of words. Patience and curiosity (along with some fierce determination) can unlock incredible stories. A striking visual representation of how the label ‘bad reader’ can feel.” —Kirkus Reviews
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