The creator of the joyful Wave
returns with a provocative wordless book that is tall and thin like its namesake. First seen sitting alone and anguished in a corner, a dark-haired girl notices her reflection on the opposite page (the book's gutter stands in for the invisible mirror). As she interacts with her reflection, each sparse page shows the girl in a different emotional state: she's frightened at first, then coy, then playful. Dancing together, the girls get so close that they become distorted and drawn into each other, as Rorschach-like splashes of orange and yellow burst around them. The girls actually disappear into the mirror, and when they re-emerge, the girl's reflection no longer mirrors her movements, leading to anger. She appears to shove the mirror, which—now visible for the first time—topples with the reflected girl inside and shatters, leaving the girl alone again and giving the book a haunting symmetry. The unsettling imagery and lack of resolution won't be for everyone, but Lee again demonstrates her ability to capture the essence of childhood emotions—even the dark ones. Ages 3–up. (May)
