The Thingamabob

The Thingamabob. written and illustrated by Il Sung Na. 2008. 24p.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Author/Illustrator Website: www.ilsungna.com

Medium: handmade paint textures combined with digital layers using Adobe Photshop

Awards and Honors: none

Audience: 2 and up

Annotation: 

An elephant encounters a strange, new object for which he tries to find a purpose.

Personal Reaction: 

A ponderous pink-cheeked elephant is out for a stroll when he finds a strange object- a bright red umbrella. He has no idea what the "thingamabob" is or where it came from so he asks his friends, who are just as clueless as he is. He experiments a bit with the thingamabob, to humorous effect- hiding behind it, sailing in it, trying to fly with it. Only after it suddenly begins to rain, does Elephant finally discover what the "thingamabob" is for, when he and his friends crown under the umbrella to seek shelter from the storm. 

This is a simple, and highly enjoyable story for young children, who will delight in knowing exactly what the "thingamabob" is from the very beginning. Na's beautifully textured illustrations are eye-catching- particularly the endpapers, which feature a plethora of patterned umbrellas.