The Wall in the Middle of the book by Jon Agee

Walls are a controversial/timely topic right now.  

Here are some books about walls:

When I read the ReadItDaddy review of The Wall in the Middle of the Book I knew I wanted to see this quirky book for myself.

The wall in the middle of this book is supposed to protect one side of the book from the other side. Supposed to.

The wall is indeed in the middle of the book. A small knight with his or her ladder arrives to repair a fallen brick. The rhino and tiger on the other side of the wall look quite puzzled. The knight prepares to put the brick back in place while the animals on the other side try to solve the problem of this barrier. The knight is sure he or she is living on the safe side but an astute reader will notice, as the ladder is climbed, down below the water begins to rise. But it might be dangerous on the other side too when a little mouse arrives and frightens the rhino, tiger and gorilla away. Next to arrive, though, is an even more frightening creature, a huge ogre complete with war hammer. If only that little knight took a minute to look around and below. Danger is very close. Where can he turn?

I am looking forward to sharing this book with my Grade 2 reading group but I would also like to show it to some senior primary students and discuss their ideas. I highly recommend The Wall in the Middle of the book. The paperback edition of this book is due out on 1st April, 2019. (I love the idea of linking this book with April Fool's day!).  Having enjoyed this book so much I am very keen to see some other books by Jon Agee.

Here is the trailer - it is just perfect! The reviewer My Storytime Corner has a list of other titles that explore the idea of preconceived notions.  "I love children’s books that make us think about ourselves, the world, and how we see the world."

Here is an insightful interview with Jon Agee where he explains the creative processes behind his decisions for this book.

Read some reviews:

This book is perfect for your visual literacy discussions - read what Horn Book say:
This is a book whose strengths reveal themselves with every page-turn and needs careful attention from start to finish, as the book starts before the title page and important events occur in quick succession. Martha V Parravano

Beautifully symbolic of the divisiveness of our times, this book offers another possibility.  Maybe there are good guys and bad guys on both sides of the wall.  Just maybe there is someone on the other side who might save your life! A Book and a Hug

A wall separates the two sides of a book. But what happens when there is danger on the side that’s supposed to be “safe?” Kirkus Star review

Jon Agee has a knack of creating deceptively simple picture books which pack some punch and this book certainly delivers on all fronts. Picture Books Blogger