Review by Cherilyn Ahn
Tundra Books, 2023
56 pages, hardcover, $24.99 CAD, 9781774881927
Picture Book, Ages 3-5
Fiction, Nature/Nature, Comedy/Humour
This is Ploof. Ploof is feeling lonely. Can you say hello?
Yay! Ploof is happy to see you.
Would you like to see Ploof do a trick?
Oh, Ploof is feeling shy now. You can do it Ploof! We believe in you!
Let’s cheer Ploof on. Let’s clap for Ploof.
Yay! Way to go, Ploof! What a STAR! Can you make a shape too?
What’s Ploof pretending to be now? Ah, I see! Good one!
Wow! So many shapes! Can you guess them all?
Hmmm . . .Ploof is running out of steam. Let’s help puff Ploof back up. Can you blow softly on Ploof?
With every spoken word, Ploof takes shape! Through fluffy and interactive storytelling, authors Ben Clanton and Andy Chou Musser introduce Ploof. Ploof is a bubbly cloud friend perfect for young readers to explore social interactions, new words, and problem-solving in a texturized, imaginative adventure.
At the beginning of Ploof’s journey, Ploof is introduced as a shy and curious cloud, but after many different interactions with the cloud, readers learn how to initiate simple exchanges with the help of friendly cues such as “hello,” “blow,” “shake,” and “clap.” Through expert storytelling and Ploof’s reactions, young readers can start to explore the impacts of diverse emotions such as empathy and compassion. Ploof is characterized to capture the soul of a shy but curious young child learning to navigate through a big world, making the book perfectly suitable for readers aged 3-5. Ploof is relatable, easy to sympathize with, and shares humour and jokes friendly for the intended reader’s age range.
The illustrations in Ploof uncover new mediums of storytelling flair. The familiar imperfect textures of crayons, oil pastels, bath bubbles, and bright blue skies painted with cotton further complement the intimate one-to-one dialogue for new readers. Alongside the use of soft colours and simple textual presentation, the illustrations communicate a multitude of expressions. Particularly, it encourages young readers to attach emotional meaning to their numerous interactions with Ploof without taking away the reader’s agency to experiment with scenarios and imagination.
In addition to the book’s fun journey, Ploof is presented with a few conflicts, allowing young readers to problem-solve alongside the cloud. For instance, while playing, Ploof gets stuck in a tree which is cleverly foreshadowed by sneakily providing hints for the reader to navigate the problem before it occurs, allowing them to work together to find a solution. If you thought there wasn’t already enough interactive engagement in this book, young readers also encounter mini eye spy activities filled with assortments of shapes, objects, numbers, and even animals! My personal favourite was the collage of colourful kites surrounding a well-disguised Ploof.
Through the colourful, but simplistically designed illustrations and text, Ploof is an appropriate and interactive read on emotional literacy that would enhance any child’s bookshelf. For those who enjoyed reading High Five by Adam Rubin, Press Here by Hervé Tullet, Pet This Book by Jessica Young, and Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson, you will most definitely adore Ploof!
This review was written by Cherilyn Ahn who is currently pursuing her passions in English and journalism at the University of British Columbia. Cherilyn hopes to continue to explore diverse fields of storytelling in her future endeavours.
YOUNG ADULTING 