Reviews

Hocus Pocus by Rémy Simard, Sylvie Desrosiers

sandraagee's review against another edition

3.0

Cute.

tashrow's review

4.0

This wordless picture book has the feel of a graphic novel, but one designed for very small children. It tells the story of Mister Magic who heads home with his pet dog, feeds the dog, and then settles in listening to music with his headset. Once he has fallen asleep, the rabbit jumps out of his hat. On the counter is a grocery bag and he spots some carrots up there. But he has to sneak past the sleeping dog to get there. He has the great idea of wearing slippers to be quieter, but then he crunches on a peanut. The dog wakes up and discovers the rabbit’s activity, but the rabbit is able to soothe him back to sleep with some violin music. But that is only the first round, as the dog and rabbit try to outwit each other.

This is a very funny picture book that emerging readers will enjoy. It’s not a wordless book for toddlers who would miss the humor of the story, but rather one for slightly older children who will read this book like watching a silent cartoon. The humor is pure slapstick fun, channeling the Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny feel with plenty of physical gags.

The art here is crisp and clean with a modern vibe. The colors are vibrant, bright and very appealing. Children who pay close attention to the illustrations will see some of the jokes coming, making it all the more fun to read.

A modern picture book that is full of classic humor, this book has great appeal. Appropriate for ages 4-6.