Friday, April 30, 2021

Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides review - 4.30.21

Have you ever watched children, particularly siblings, disagree?  They can disagree on every single thing, one thing after another!  Sometimes it doesn't even matter what the disagreement started as, or what it has progressed to be, or even what the topic is.  They just disagree.  Until... they don't.  Until there is that one moment that bonds them.  And then it's like nothing ever happened and they are now the best of friends.  This scenario is captured in Anna Kang's and Christopher Weyant's newest collaboration, Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides.


Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides
written by Anna Kang
illustrated by Christopher Weyant
published by Two Lions


You probably know wife and husband team Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant from their fabulous series that includes the Geisel winning title, You Are (Not) Small.  This time they introduce us to Hudson (the dog) and Tallulah (the cat).  Neighbors who at first glance, seem to have nothing in common. While Tallulah wants to chase all things (especially those that fly), Hudson wants to chase his freedom and play with friends.  Time in the mud?  Sounds good to Hudson!  Staying clean?  That's more of Tallulah's thing.  And while Hudson sees postperson Dave as the person who "attacks" his house everyday at noon, Tallulah gets some great scratches and rubs from Dave.  Will they ever agree?  And do they have to agree on the same things?  Maybe it's ok to not only disagree, but understand they don't have to like the same things.



What a perfect book to use to talk about perspective and what that means.  For young readers, it's hard to think about other opinions but also being ok with another's opinion.  Talking about how characters Hudson and Tallulah handle things can be a great entry into thinking about their own perspectives.



More about the creators:

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog, Hudson, the inspiration behind the character in this book. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.

Twitter: @annakang27 @ChristophWeyant

Instagram: annakangbooks; christopherweyant   

Facebook: Anna Kang - Author; Christopher Weyant


Praise for Hudson and Tallulah:

New Yorker cartoonist Weyant’s illustrations, which use gouache, graphite, and lots of white space, carry the day, filling the dog’s and cat’s reactions to what they encounter with plenty of comic details (like the bold lettering conveying the dog-park dogs’ frantic barking at the cat). Madcap fun.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Charming cartoons convey the nearly wordless story augmented with dialogue between the two rivals…An amusing exploration of how opposite personalities can learn to appreciate their unique relationship.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Aptly captured by married team Kang and Weyant (You Are (Not) Small), the unlikely friends’ comic path to camaraderie unfolds nearly wordlessly, with expressive gouache and graphite scenes that burst with physical humor, showing that even those who fight like cats and dogs can be friends.” —Publishers Weekly


* Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for the review copy! *


Want to add this fun duo to your library?  One lucky winner will receive a copy of Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses).  Winner will be selected on May 7th.




No comments:

Post a Comment