The Pocket Book

A young person’s voluminous denim coat pocket contains myriad memorable treasures in Hinrichs’s categorizing picture book. Through symbolic descriptions, a tan-skinned, gap-toothed child tells a simple and abstract story that encourages readerly interpretation. “Here is a hike,” the speaker says, presenting a palm full of jelly beans, a half-eaten cracker, a feather, and a rock. A page turn displays a hand cupping a lollipop stick, bandage, pinecone, and so on (“My hungry belly./ A hurt”). An apparent walk to the beach brings “a wish./ Some sunshine,” and later, time speeds up as several sunflower seeds (“a promise”) bring forth vibrant yellow blooms (“a wow!”). Breckenreid’s mixed-media artwork emphasizes the found quality of the objects featured via collages that work smoothly with text to create a poignant portrait of the way even small or mundane items can hold meaning. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)