Don’t judge a book by it’s wall

Everything is minimal in The Wall in the Middle of the Book but that works for the story. Jon Agee’s text is minimal. The illustrations have minimal detail to them. However, the details that are there are quite amusing and especially telling if you just pay attention.

 

The story is very simple: A knight thinks that his side of the wall that divides this book is the best side ever! There are no dangers there! After all the other side has lions and rhinos and an ogre that would just eat him right up! Yet, as the book goes along, he discovers that his side is not as safe as he thought and also, that the other side is not as dangerous. (That ogre? Yeah, he is pretty darn handy to have around after all).

 

I think the best part and the worst part of the book is the fact that it so minimal. You do not have to have a lot of hidden meanings or unneeded details to the text or illustrations. Yet, that makes for a very short book. The adult who likes the work of Agee will continue to like him. The child will like the surprises that our dear hero knight is unaware of. However, both might not be liked at the same time.

 

The writing style and illustrations give off a classic feel. But also there are modern elements, too, with the fact that we know that we cannot judge the other side of the wall just by looking at it,