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Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A rainy day inspires a mind-bending adventure in Crews's (I'll Catch the Moon) latest photo-collage fantasy. Stuck inside due to inclement weather, Mariah and Joy embark on an imaginative journey. First destination on the map (which they've constructed on top of a checkerboard, with coins, buttons, seashells and checkers) is an imaginary tiny island. Without fanfare, the girls shrink to a size that allows them to fit right into their surroundings. A decorative mask in the room becomes a "giant," a houseplant is a jungle to be explored and the chubby gray cat is now a fierce monster guarding "treasures" (cat toys). A look through a kaleidoscope turns everything on end, and soon the girls are back to reality. The smoothly pitched text builds in excitement as the images and action begin to fully take shape in readers' minds. In her most complex project yet, Crews creates photographic compositions with inventive shifts in proportion and perspective and with playful technological tweaks that will have readers pondering, "how did she do that?" Her young African American subjects are wide-eyed and expressive and are clearly enjoying their outing. Ages 5-up. (Oct.)

Children's Literature - Linnea Hendrickson

"It was a wet and rainy day," and Mariah and Joy were bored, so they decided to take a trip. Thus begins a wild afternoon of Jumanji-like adventure, dramatically illustrated with computer-manipulated photographs of props in plain view on the mantle-a penguin, a kaleidoscope, an airplane, a waterfall, and a "giant." The girls invent a "magic map" that takes them on "a journey around the world," where they encounter a fierce monster that they tame with a spell. But how are they going to find their way home? Figuring out how the special effects are created, and noticing the changing sizes of objects and people in relationship to each other is an adventure in itself. This captivating story will probably inspire readers to create their own adventures, in their imaginations and maybe even with their cameras and computers.

Kirkus Reviews

Crews (Snowball, 1997, etc.) starts with a rainy day and two girls, Joy and Mariah are stuck inside and so dream up a game—-they will go on a trip. Although it's imaginary, it's real enough to them, and to readers, due to Crews's terrifically appealing full-color photographs and some computer trickery. The objects on a mantel—-a toy plane, a kaleidoscope, an art print, a toy penguin, a mask—-become part of the trip; the girls are shown in the tiny plane, flying in front of the art print. A giant (the mask) tells them that they must bring him a trinket. They consult books from the bookshelf and try unsuccessfully to maneuver the family cat. They finally give up and sit on him. The expressions elicited are perfect; the girls are in charge of their world, confident and part of a great game. When their mother comes home, they go outside to the now-sunny tree-lined street. This is a slice of real life, that makes a child's fanciful interludes part of every day. (Picture book. 5-7) .