THE WILD PIANO

Philemon (Cast Away on the Letter A, 2014) returns in another whimsical romp to revisit the letter A and free his friend Bartholomew.

Upon his return from the labyrinth on the letter A (of the word “Atlantic” on a map), Philemon quickly discovers that his hardworking father has little time for his fanciful tales. But his uncle Felix not only believes him, but knows of the letter A and of Bartholomew. Felix quickly transports Philemon—via a reversed telescope and careful placement on a globe—back to the letters that make up the lands he had just left. Upon his arrival, he finds all kinds of wonderfully odd things, like a traveler who can not only walk, but sleep on water; a race of brilliantly hued, capricious beings who arrest him for bouncing; and a bizarre house full of strange doors, giants, and calamitous carpets. This second Philemon outing, originally published in France in the 1970s and only now published in English, is just as charmingly offbeat as its predecessor. Included are notes that help young readers place many of the literary references found in Philemon's adventures, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Gulliver's Travels.

Easily eclipsing the decades, this mind-bending fantasy blends familiar literary allusions, psychedelic settings, and just the right smattering of fun.