The Battle of Luke and Longnose - Barbara McClintock
I've unearthed another McClintock gem! Unlike my other favorites (Dahlia, The Fantastic Drawings of Danielle, and Molly and the Magic Wishbone) this one features a male protagonist. And he doesn't even have to share spotlight (like Adèle & Simon). The story opens as Luke finally drifts off to sleep after a long day of playing with his new toy theatre (I want one!). After all, no one can stay awake forever, McClintock reminds us. Soon, however, Luke is woken up by a loud noise and discovers that his miniature theatre is growing! He is drafted by his (now life size) toy soldiers in an effort to defeat the wicked Longnose. Oh, and let's not forget his trusty sidekick Rags - a cuddly, but plenty feisty orange cat. What follows is a completely adorable swashbuckling yarn sure to please any adventure loving child. With the theatrical backdrop it all reminded me a bit of The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen - which is a good thing! The text is fine, but it's the illustrations which really carry the story. I particularly loved the the multiple wordless full page spreads - stunning!