honors

• 2018 Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

Reviews/Press

STARRED REVIEW “Charmingly varied illustrations with soft, cheery colors and speckled textures display a gamut of emotions from abject loneliness to blissful companionship. A delightful tale that invites interpretation and almost demands giggles at the antics of the expressive chick and puppy.”

–Kirkus Reviews

STARRED REVIEW “The collage artwork, rich with springtime hues and eye-pleasing textures, vividly depicts the action, and dynamic lines and expressive details create strong characterizations for the protagonists. Kids will enjoy poring over the pictures for visual clues, interpreting the events, and imagining future adventures for this appealing duo.”

–School Library Journal

“Children will delight in the whimsical pictures of the resilient and clever chick, discouraged by no obstacle. Yelchin’s quirky illustrations in pastel colors and graphite are delightful. His characters’ expressive faces and bodies create a story which needs no words to convey their lively friendship.”

—Booklist

“It’s not easy to tell a story without words, but Yelchin is a master―the myriad expressions of his illustrations depicting this lovable pair speak volumes. Yelchin works more of his magic with the eggshell, having Pip use its pieces as both a rain hat and rowboat during a frightening thunderstorm. Russian-born Yelchin, who won a Newbery Honor for Breaking Stalin’s Nose, knows that actions often speak louder than words. PIP & PUP is a wonderful story about how unexpected friendships evolve―and survive. This story is perfect for a quick but quiet burst of adventure before bedtime. ”

—BookPage

“A book that feels like a classic, one you can show a wannabe picture book illustrator and say, here is how you delight a very young reader. There is great humor communicated via detailed body language in this compelling tale (no words are needed), and the dynamic between the two characters is spot-on. Yelchin captures the vulnerability of each character —particularly, the dog. The book’s pacing is seamless throughout; Yelchin knows just when to build tension and draw out a laugh. My favorite element of the book’s design, though, may be the most subtle one: Lift the dustjacket to see solid yellow with small red lines on both the front and back cover: It’s Pip’s fluff. Simple. Perfect.”

—Calling Caldecott The Horn Book by Julie Danielson

Simple, well-paced, and funny wordless picture book about a new friendship. Yelchin’s visual humor here is spot-on for preschoolers; and his palette of spring colors and use of colored pencils and oil pastels on highly textured paper bring life and energy to the page.

—The Horn Book Magazine

In this wordless barnyard comedy by Yelchin (Breaking Stalin's Nose), opening vignettes show a golden-yellow chick hatching out of a shell. Colored-pencil and pastel rubbed over toothed paper produce areas of texture that give the spreads a warm feel. The casting of Pip as the comic and Pup as the straight man offers vaudeville-style humor for preschoolers. Over-the-top facial expressions make the emotions of the two characters easy to read; even the youngest can work out how they feel.

—Publishers Weekly

"Newbery Honor author, Eugene Yelchin’s enchanting wordless book will charm young readers. The delightful and evocative illustrations will engage and amuse them, but also allow them to interpret this touching story about friendship. Highly recommended for any school, home or public library."

—The Pirate Tree/ Social Justice and Children’s Literature

“In Eugene Yelchin’s story of a barnyard friendship between a puppy and a chick, expressive faces tell the whole tale. No words are necessary, as the young duo bark, chirp, chase, fight, make up, and become best buddies in the space of a single day – and, as the book ends, hint at the fun they might share next.”

—The Virginian-Pilot