We just received a new kids book by Arthur Bradford and
Lisa Hanawalt, and holy smokes is this one funny. BENNY’S BRIGADE recounts the
story of Benny, a miniature walrus who lost his way and ended up trapped
inside a walnut. Now Benny isn’t like other miniature walruses, he’s actually
quite the ladies' man, charming sisters Theo and Elsie with his dapper ways to
help him make his way back to his underwater home. What follows is a wild
adventure with an ambitious craft project and some friendly slug companions. The book is published by McSweeney’s, a name that’s become
synonymous with beautiful book design, and this title is no exception. Lisa
Hanawalt just nails it in terms of illustration, giving lil’ Benny an incredible amount of personality and zest. By the way, if you’re a fan of Hanawalt's work (who isn’t?), make sure to mark your
calendars for her upcoming D&Q book MY DIRTY DUMB EYES, it will rock your
socks off. In the meantime, why not take a little break with Mr. Benny himself:
Hahahahaha... talk about a ladies' man!
Here's a fun tip: if you ever meet a walrus, give him
a pretzel, the salty taste will remind him of the sea!
Oh no, sad Benny!
