Hugo and the Really, Really, Really Long String

February 22, 2010
Boyle—creator of the animated TV show Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
—sets his first book for children in a landscape that looks like an old eight-bit video game; everything is rendered in flat, squarish shapes with rough edges. The story feels pretty old school, too: Hugo, a purple hippopotamus in a neat tie, roams through town following a red string. He collects friends as he goes, singing in lumpy verse, “There must be something special at the end!/ I'll share it with you, my newfound friend.” The red string, a clever device, leads the group through diverting city spaces—classrooms, railway tunnels, a noodle shop—until the group arrives at Hugo's house to discover it leads to a pair of Hugo's underwear that has been unraveled by his dog. Hugo's humiliation is short-lived, as “everyone began to sing—'We were eight strangers who followed the string! It really was a wonderful thing!' ” Boyle's pacing is able, and he scatters his artwork with amusing details; despite the somewhat sterile feel of the story, readers should appreciate its cheer—and the gag ending. Ages 3–6.

February 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 1-Hugo, described as "a happy little guy," resembles a lavender hippo wearing a shirt and tie. One morning, he and his dog, Biscuit, spot a red string and decide to find out where it leads. They set out from Hugo's house and meet other animals along the way. As each new addition joins the hunting party, a four-line song is repeated in the text. It is clear that these adventurers expect to find an awesome treasure at the end of the string, and they plan to share it. They are disappointed at the mundane origin of the string, but then celebrate the friendships they made along the way and enjoy a snack of crumpets and tea. Readers familiar with the animated show "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy"! will recognize Boyle's cartoon world of rounded edges and frayed black outlines. While the story may appear to take place in Wuzzleburg, there is no direct reference to the show, meaning this is not a media tie-in, but a smart stand-alone picture book with lovable, fun characters."Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
When Hugo spots a red string, he's convinced that if he follows it he'll find something fabulous. He doesn't--the string leads him on a circuitous journey to a pair of his own underwear--but he accumulates enough friends along the way to make up for his disappointment and embarrassment. Geometric, cartoony art captures the story's humor and celebrates new friendships.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)