The Adventures of a Nose

Rating:
Summary: Join in The Adventures of a Nose!
Review: As an academic tutor, I heartily recommend this endearing selection to all people of all age groups.

For both young and old, the conscious (or subconscious) search to "fit in" ends when the reader accepts the comfort offered in The Adventures of a Nose.

Each of my students (and many of their family members) delight not only in the reassurance of their place in the world, but also in the incredible colored illustrations.

This treasure belongs in every household, no matter what. Ms. Viviane Schwarz (author) and Joel Stewart (illustrator) deserve much appreciation for this heart-warming book.

Rating:
Summary: A no miss pick!
Review: This clever and engaging children's book balances nuance, detail, and wit into a series of clever portraits depicting the quest of a nose (one equipped with legs wearing trousers and a great sense of self-irony, no less) trying to find its place in the world. Consequently, the nose savors all sorts of experiences from a trip to the library, an excursion to the market, a turn on the stage, a stop by a restaurant, and so on till, tired of not fitting in, the nose lands on the couch of a therapist who gently suggests that the nose is never out of place for the 'whole world fits perfectly around you. . . .'

Each setting depicts the nose against a different backdrop, and the nose is the only constant amidst the changing scenery where, and this is the really fun part, different objects form a pair of eyes and a mouth. Hence, the nose is never really out of place even though it never quite figures this out.

The writing strikes the right cord, and Ms. Schwarz delivers uncluttered prose that conveys the yearning to fit it and how a nose might go about assessing the world (in a restaurant, the nose suggest that "this is a place for mouths"). Mr. Stewart conjures up superb and somewhat surreal illustrations layered with details that go beyond those needed to frame the nose with the 'accidental' features that complete the face. Those extras provide the texture that underlies the quest: discarded rail tickets, glimpses of menus, book pages. Each page is like a tapestry of sorts with lots of images held in place by, what else, the nose.

I would not recommend this book for youngsters who cannot yet read on their own, even though the book is so much fun you will want to read it with them. Rather, wait until your children are about seven so that they will be able to appreciate the rich detail, contextual puns, and ironic humor blended in this initial collaboration between a talented husband-wife team.