When was the last time you read a children's book with wiggleskins as the main characters? I know, the word wiggleskins got my attention too! A new book by the illustrator of The Tale of Despereaux, Timothy Basil Ering, called Necks Out for Adventure is just plain fun.
The sub title of this book is The True Story of Edwin Wiggleskin. It is a story about not being afraid of taking chances, nothing ventured, nothing gained, be your own man...er...clam, and all of the other cliches that having to do with striking out on your own regardless of what those around you believe.
Edwin is a wiggleskin that lives in the bed with the other wiggleskins that live by the motto "necks out to eat, and necks in to hide." Edwin, though yearns for something more and asks the all important question, "What would happen if we flow with the current?" and all of the other wiggleskins laugh, all but Edwin's mother who, as good moms everywhere do, encourages her young Edwin to ignore the crowd, and "Stick your neck out for adventure like you always do!"
Who knew that clams possessed such wisdom and superb parenting skills! However, before you know it, the clam digger, or "a hideous hornly scratcher, a wiggleskin's worst nightmare" comes and takes the whole bed of wiggleskins leaving only Edwin behind. Of course Edwin is frightened, but knowing he has to do something, he shucks his own shell and sets off to find the other wiggleskins.
I don't want to ruin the rest of the story for you, but this is definitely a book worth getting and sharing with kids. They will love the story, the creative language that I've only given you a taste of, and especially Ering's illustrations. You can feel the current of the ocean and smell the hornly scratcher in them.
Flip over the Fuse #8 for a review and some of the illustrations.
I really like the looks of this book. I am excited to check it out.
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