THE UPSIDE DOWN GIRL

Despite objections from a growing crowd, a little girl persists in hanging upside down in a tree.

Whether they love it or hate it, readers are going to have opinions about this offbeat book. The titular child’s mysterious climb begins on the endpapers, and as she hangs from a branch, people swiftly gather, among them a young boy, the sheriff, and the mayor. They disapprovingly question why she’s in that tree. “It’s not productive!” proclaims a mail carrier. But the girl remains impassive, smiling inscrutably amid the rustling leaves. After the increasingly agitated onlookers insist that she reveal why she’s up there, she gives in, after warning that “nothing will ever be the same again.” Dramatically, their eyes widen, and the mob’s perspective changes. On the next page, they, too, are hanging from the tree. It’s a sly, twisty ending that some will revel in. But readers aren’t let in on the girl’s secret, and not everyone will appreciate that lingering ambiguity. Scribbly multimedia illustrations have an energy reminiscent of Eric Carle’s work, and plentiful white space creates a feeling of gravitas. Refreshing touches of lightness are woven in, too, such as a pup who also ends up nestled in greenery. The girl is pale-skinned and red-haired; her community is diverse.

Thought provoking and visually appealing—and just as enigmatic as the titular girl’s smile.