Nordic Picture Book Grand Prize Finalist, 2004

A picture book for the youngest children wherein colors, lines, and forms create concepts, things and the relations between them.

In Anne Peltola's fast-paced picture book, a child's painting of a ball comes to life. The little girl who does the painting is so proud of her round red ball that she names it Boing Boing. No sooner has Boing Boing been created, then it's off and away on a series of wild escapades. On its adventures, it serves as a spare tire for a wolf's car and turns into a fox's lingonberry, a ball for a couple of sheep and a candy for a bear. Eventually Boing Boing gets sad and wants to go home. Pained to see a little ball so sad, Bear helps Boing Boing return home, where the little ball happily goes to sleep with the little girl who made it and her teddy bear. The humor and playful nonsense of a ball going on adventures gives the story a delightful touch, as does the lively collage technique that combines colored papers, labels and newspaper clippings.

A playful tale of a little girl's wonderful imagination and the joys of independence, "Boing Boing" is also a comforting story about having a safe place called home to return to between adventures. Children are sure to enjoy Boing Boing's wild romp, but like Bear, they will be sorry to see the little ball cry, and they will cheer when it returns safely home.