Explorers by Matthew Cordell - ESSENTIAL

Explorers by Matthew Cordell. PICTURE BOOK. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2019. $19. 9781250174963

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Told without words, this is the story of a family on their way to the Natural History Museum. Outside the building a young boy is giving a paper dragonfly that leads him on adventures through the museum. Ultimately the dragonfly provides an opportunity for the boy to learn about sharing and friendship.  

I love wordless picture books and this one is a great addition to the genre. The ability to tell a story without words will ask readers to pay attention and trust themselves - great skills for young readers. I don’t particularly love the messy, sketch-like style of the illustrations, but I don’t think that opinion will be universal. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher