Look at this! A new book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace: Little Hoot (Chronicle, 2008). It was well-reviewed by Elizabeth Bird at A Fuse #8 Production yesterday (1/16/08), but we would have wanted it anyway: we loved Little Pea, Milly especially. The two books do seem to have a parallel plot structure, don't they?
little Pea : little Hoot
must eat candy : must stay up late
prefers spinach : wants to go to bed
Well, it wasn't broken. And Little Hoot ups the ante with the adorable owls. Corace's illustrations (rendered in ink and watercolor) are more detailed here than in Pea, though there's still plenty of white space, and the book is beautifully designed. I think we may love it even more.
Is it possible to feel sorry for a pea?
[Milly has a small collection (it numbers 5, mostly noneditioned) of Jen Corace letterpress prints, which we started for her after we discovered Little Pea. Our favorites came from Mahar Drygoods; see also Tiny Showcase. Not affiliated, etc.]