Polo: The Runaway Book

Regis Faller's "Polo" picture books are absolutely brilliant and magical... These fab French imports feature Polo, a cheerful, indomitable cartoon dog with a flair for improvisation, bravery and boundless curiosity... The wordless, multi-panel graphic novels recall the fantastic, breathless wonder of the old "Tin-Tin" books, only without any real sense of danger, just pure adventure, fantasy, and fun. In this volume, Polo returns, and so do the little green men: one of them sneaks into Polo's bedroom and steals his new book, starting a chase that takes them across the oceans, up into the sky, into a weird, white Limbo and into a cloud kingdom with a delicate princess who becomes Polo's friend. Picking up other friends along the way, Polo crosses deserts and rides clouds, frees a genie and climbs a giant dandelion, like Jack climbed the the beanstalk. Finally, after seventy color-filled pages, he catches up to the little green guy, who is reading the runaway book to a group of his friends. Polo sits down to listen, and when the story is over, the green guy gives it back to him. Polo is an amazing reading experience, and it expects as much from its readers as it gives back. Adults can guide children through the story, commenting on each panel, or summarizing entire pages, creating the narrative as they go along. Children can also spend hours alone, pouring over the panels and making up stories of their own... and they will! Highly recommended. One of our favorite books. (ReadThatAgain)

At last! A book our daughter can read to us. Or, rather, "read," because actually recognizing words and sentences is, at 5, still pretty much beyond her. But when she tells us a story, based on her understanding of pictures arranged in a narrative ---- she loves that. Makes her feel big. Smart. No wonder she says, "I'm five...but in my head, I'm seven." Emboldened by a good first experience, we risked a second book told completely in pictures: "The Adventures of Polo", by the French illustrator Regis Faller. As with "Flotsam", this is a story that starts simply and gets increasingly --- and, from the child's point-of-view, delightfully --- complex. You might think complexity is beyond a child who can't read. If so, get this book, ask your kid to "tell me the story," and see what you get. ["Polo" is said to be appropriate for kids as old as eight. I can't imagine a kid beyond six who will respond, but you know your kid.] Here's what "Polo" gives you: an upbeat little dog in dark pants, a red jacket and a brown backpack. The story? One zany adventure after another. And the illustrations! Vibrant primary colors make this a book of incessant good cheer. It's a pleasure just to see "Polo" on a coffee table --- the cover suggests the pleasure within. There are five Polo books published in France. As yet, there are only two Polos available in this country. Why? It's not like they need to be translated. (In all the books, Faller has said, there are, in fact, three words.) Not long ago, we knew nothing of Polo. Now the little guy is our daughter's new best friend. As she tells us of his adventures, we turn into goofballs and beam with pride. This deep pleasure is, I suspect, also available in your home.

Polo is thrilled with his present, a new book - but after reading it he sets it aside, and an animal makes off with it. When the dog follows, a new series of adventures lead him into the sky, desert, and jungle in this second adventure about Polo, a wordless picture book kids will find engrossing.

I bought this book online on a hunch, along with the previous Polo book. I read them both... and was amazed at how the mind gets swept away. From exotic location to exotic location, with a logic that will win your heart. I loved meeting new characters, seeing them wind up in a bind, figure it out and move on. And then the warmth you feel when everything and everyone come together at the end. I don't have children, but as a graphic novelist for children, I'm away checking out to see what is out there... and I can't say this loud enough... THIS IS OUT THERE. So good.

We LOVE the Polo books! They are some of the favorites on our bookshelf. There are no words, just lavish, very creative illustrations. Children can make up a new story each time they read. Polo drives clouds, plants magic beans and climbs a beanstalk, lands on pink clouds that are made of cotton candy, and most importantly, learns that friendship is the most important thing. A++ from this family!