Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Separation and sudden change pose an existential threat to a pair of socks.Red-and-white socks Phil and Dale glory in the washing machine's thrill ride, ignoring grumpy, repressive comments from the other laundry: "Woah Spin Cycle!" they shout. Then Phil suddenly disappears. Dale searches high and low ("There's a load of guys like you over there," offers a pair of friendly green underpants), lodging temporarily in the pocket of a red shirt and fretting over the prospect of a solitary life as a sock puppet or a golf cozy. But when, dumped into a dryer with the rest of the laundry, the two catch sight of each other at last, Phil holds back: "You're…you're PINK!" Shouldn't a pair of socks look exactly the same? Happily, once the dryer starts its tumble, Phil's foolish doubts are dispelled in the shared fun. "Who am I kidding Dale—of course you're my pair!…And, anyway," as the mismatched buddies walk off on a pair of feet, "who cares if we're a little odd." A big round hole in the front cover invites readers to join the tumbling twosome in their exhilarating romp. In the simply drawn, brightly hued illustrations, Marton dabs simple faces onto the tumbling, rumpled laundry, presenting the all-dialogue narrative and the clunks and gurgles of the washing cycles in block letters and adding hands and a flash of elbow, both pink, as the only signs of human agency.A well-knit tale of textile togetherness. (Picture book. 5-8)

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Rowdy sock-pair Phil and Dale love laundry day, when they get to deploy their washing-machine tumbling skills. After a separation, Phil and Dale (now pink from a red-shirt companion) no longer match and face an existential crisis. Everything about this comics-style British import works--the humorous story; the endearing main characters; the exuberant, brightly colored mixed-media illustrations; and the valuable, organically delivered message.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Separation and sudden change pose an existential threat to a pair of socks.Red-and-white socks Phil and Dale glory in the washing machine's thrill ride, ignoring grumpy, repressive comments from the other laundry: "Woah Spin Cycle!" they shout. Then Phil suddenly disappears. Dale searches high and low ("There's a load of guys like you over there," offers a pair of friendly green underpants), lodging temporarily in the pocket of a red shirt and fretting over the prospect of a solitary life as a sock puppet or a golf cozy. But when, dumped into a dryer with the rest of the laundry, the two catch sight of each other at last, Phil holds back: "You're…you're PINK!" Shouldn't a pair of socks look exactly the same? Happily, once the dryer starts its tumble, Phil's foolish doubts are dispelled in the shared fun. "Who am I kidding Dale—of course you're my pair!…And, anyway," as the mismatched buddies walk off on a pair of feet, "who cares if we're a little odd." A big round hole in the front cover invites readers to join the tumbling twosome in their exhilarating romp. In the simply drawn, brightly hued illustrations, Marton dabs simple faces onto the tumbling, rumpled laundry, presenting the all-dialogue narrative and the clunks and gurgles of the washing cycles in block letters and adding hands and a flash of elbow, both pink, as the only signs of human agency.A well-knit tale of textile togetherness. (Picture book. 5-8)

School Library Journal (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

PreS-Gr 1 -Through the portal of a washing machine, readers watch as Phil and Dale, a rambunctious pair of red-and-white socks, surf the suds, get separated, and, as a result, grow. Phil and Dale delight in their play while other clothes chide their actions. Then, just as the fun amps up, one disappears. Dale receives some guidance from a bright red shirt, an encounter that will forever change him (metaphorically represented by a change in colorpink), but still he despairs. After reuniting, the two friends learn to accept the changes they have gone through and return to their play. This whimsical but touching story is told entirely through speech bubbles and pattern-laced, mixed-media pop art. The illustrator simulated the look and feel of the clothes and washer by using charcoals to add texture and by placing sound effects around the edges of the machine. Ultimately, this is a story about how two twins (or close siblings) change in different ways and learn to accept that this doesn't affect their bond. VERDICT A fun format for teaching those just entering school that change isn't necessarily a terrible thing.-Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.