Following the big bang, matter is transformed into everything on earth, except for one small, leftover orange blob. No one knows its name or purpose, which frustrates many, including the thingamabob itself. Full of despair, the object encounters a small child intent on creating a sandbox volcano. Suddenly, Thingamabob transforms into a lava flow, delighting the tyke. Later, it morphs into a hat, a pillow, a hula hoop, a hermit crab, an umbrella, and, most important, a friend. Coppo's digitally enhanced tempera-and-pastel collage illustrations are rendered in gray tones, with bright orange reserved for the amorphous protagonist. The use of white backgrounds; simple, often stylized shapes; and the high-contrast carrot hue of Thingamabob helps focus young readers, while plain black eyes and an unembellished mouth signal its changeable emotional state. This works on a literal level (as a tale of creativity and imagination), but the more subtle message ere is a place in the world for everyone regardless of size, shape, or color ll also resonate.

PreS-Gr 2 The creator of Petra and Ray has delivered another sweet story of finding one's identity. The story of the Big Bang gets somewhat simplified: From one big blob, everything gets a shape and purpose, except for the Thingamabob. The Thingamabob, a smiley orange blob, can become different things, like a chair or a hat, but it is never "enough" to be any one thing; it's not comfy enough to be a chair or trendy enough to be a hat. One day, the discouraged Thingamabob meets a child and helps with imaginative play. The Thingamabob realizes that in not being one set thing, it can be anything, which makes it happy. The background and characters are set in a grayscale with the bright orange Thingamabob as the main attraction. The simple drawing of the people with round heads and mere for eyes are reminiscent of vintage illustrations (e.g., Harold and the Purple Crayon ). Adults will appreciate the message of self-acceptance and individuality, while kids will like seeing the creative objects the Thingamabob becomes. The generous white space around the text is pleasant; the tiny font size is not. VERDICT Another lovely offering from Coppo, with an essential message alongside charming art. Elissa Cooper