Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

"Drawing always came naturally to me," says the protagonist of this autobiographical picture book based on Talbott's early life. Words are another story. Though he loves words "one at a time," long sentences make him feel lost in the woods -- a theme picked up by the book's title and by the illustrations' imagery. In the watercolor, colored-pencil, and ink pictures, books fly at him like so many bats or birds of prey; trees are menacingly twisted into and around words; and an entire spread of newsprint becomes a gray, densely packed "Wall of Shame." He feels "alone and lost in a world of words" and worries: what if his classmates find out he can't keep up with them? As he comes up with strategies to forge his own path -- reading at his own pace, looking for words he knows and letting them lead him into a story -- the illustrations' palette slowly lightens. Then he begins to experiment with how to write stories. He tears down his Wall of Shame and creates a Hall of Fame of slow readers -- Einstein and Shakespeare among them. And now the wall carries a new sign: "Slow readers savor the story!" In an appended note, Talbott relates his childhood struggle with dyslexia and how he wrote this story to help others. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A slow reader gains confidence.Strongly influenced by Talbotts own childhood reading journey, a young tot with a mop of brown hair and pale skin loves art, but reading doesnt come as naturally. Crayons and colored pencils create imaginative worlds, but the words on a page crowd together, forming an impenetrable wall, with the youngster barely able to peer over. The rest of the class seemingly soars ahead, turning page after page, but the books (in the protagonists mind) give chase, flying menacingly like a scene from Hitchcock: And they were coming for me! / So many words! So many pages! Talbott expertly captures the claustrophobic crush of unknown vocabulary, first as a downpour of squiggles from the sky, then as a gnarled, dark forest with words lining the branches. But reading slowly doesnt mean not reading at all. The youngster learns to search for familiar words, using them as steppingstones. And there are advantages: Slow readers savor the story! There is even a Slow Readers Hall of Fame included, featuring Albert Einstein, Sojourner Truth, and many others. Talbott excels at evincing concepts visually, and this talent is in evidence here as his protagonist first struggles then gains mastery, surfing confidently down a wave of words. Patience and curiosity (along with some fierce determination) can unlock incredible stories. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A striking visual representation of how the label bad reader can feel. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A slow reader gains confidence. Strongly influenced by Talbott’s own childhood reading journey, a young tot with a mop of brown hair and pale skin loves art, but reading doesn’t come as naturally. Crayons and colored pencils create imaginative worlds, but the words on a page crowd together, forming an impenetrable wall, with the youngster barely able to peer over. The rest of the class seemingly soars ahead, turning page after page, but the books (in the protagonist’s mind) give chase, flying menacingly like a scene from Hitchcock: “And they were coming for me! / So many words! So many pages!” Talbott expertly captures the claustrophobic crush of unknown vocabulary, first as a downpour of squiggles from the sky, then as a gnarled, dark forest with words lining the branches. But reading slowly doesn’t mean not reading at all. The youngster learns to search for familiar words, using them as steppingstones. And there are advantages: “Slow readers savor the story!” There is even a “Slow Readers Hall of Fame” included, featuring Albert Einstein, Sojourner Truth, and many others. Talbott excels at evincing concepts visually, and this talent is in evidence here as his protagonist first struggles then gains mastery, surfing confidently down a wave of words. Patience and curiosity (along with some fierce determination) can unlock incredible stories. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A striking visual representation of how the label “bad reader” can feel. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.