TRAMPOLINE BOY

Trampoline Boy by Nan Forler and Marion Arbona is a unique book in many, many ways, starting with the premise and ending with the design of the book.

Meet Trampoline Boy. Trampolining is literally his identity, as we only know him by this name and we only see him bouncing up and down on his trampoline. When he bounces he shoots right up into the blue sky, away from the kids below who tease him, and only there does he seem to feel free and unburdened. It's like this every day until a girl named Peaches stops to bounce with him, and Trampoline Boy learns that if he can keep his feet on the ground long enough he might find someone with whom to share his life and experiences.

Talk about a quirky, well-designed book. The trim size is odd at 6 x 11.3 inches, so you can't ignore the fact that there was some serious intent in choosing it, something that the design of the book inherently conveys: this boy jumps HIGH. So high that the trim size, as odd as it is, can barely convey the amount of height reached in the book. It's his escape from the world, and boy, oh boy does he escape. It's lucky Peaches stops by and notices him because it's a very lonely world up there with a lot of time to think. But notice that when Peaches DOES arrive, even the sky becomes more colorful, full of rainbows and eye-catching patterns. It's undeniable that friendship and togetherness expand the imagination and open new worlds and possibilities for children.

Trampoline Boy publishes March 6, 2018 from Tundra Books.

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