WHERE DO POSSIBILITIES LIVE?

The possibilities are endless.

Yamada finds the fertile soil of imagination everywhere—in our experiences, our dreams, and our hopes but especially in our questions. Questions “are magic portals that can turn what is into what can be.” The author urges us to “see the smells. Taste the sounds. Feel the colors. Listen to the flavors.” Empathy is key; “possibilities blossom with each act of kindness,” and there is a moral payoff when we “choose what’s right instead of what’s easy.” Yamada’s text is earnest if a bit lofty; much of the book’s appeal rests on Neira Zúñiga’s extravagant, richly hued illustrations, which bring to life a fantastical world. A tan-skinned child with long dark hair carrying a cello inhabits landscapes ranging from desert to polar, lunar, and marine. Music is key to this youngster’s imaginings: The child rides in a cello-shaped carriage pulled by a huge chinchilla; later, the cello morphs into a pirate ship. As the youngster performs in a museum, figures emerge from the paintings to dance; the child also conducts an orchestra of Easter Island moai. A tiny chinchilla serves as a constant companion as the youngster encounters Ent-like trees, Dutch fields with zebra stripes (and zebra heads protruding), and tortoises carrying cities atop their backs. In many scenes, brilliant butterfly wings suggest the flight of the imagination, the central concern of this delightful book.

A rousing celebration of the mind’s creativity.