The Weaving Adventures of Edgar and Rita

Reviewed by Syne Mitchell on February 25, 2010

by Frances Iverson

Illustrated by Daria Tavoularis

Niddy Noddy Press, 2009, 40 pages

The Weaving Adventures of Edgar and Rita is a children's picture book that tells the story of Edgar (a dog) and Rita (his weaver). Told from Edgar's point of view, it explores the weaving design process, showing several examples of the initial inspiration and how Rita translated that idea into finished cloth.

Like a good Warner Brother's cartoon, this book can be enjoyed on many levels. Children will appreciate the clean and elegant pictures and the caring relationship between Edgar and his weaver. Adults (especially weavers) will like the "meta" story about how to take inspiration from the world around you.

Like the pictures, the prose is simple and elegant. The story is sweet, and Edgar (the star of the book) is an engaging character. I think any weaver's child or grandchild would enjoy this book.

Of course, the final test of any children's book is to put in the hands of an actual child. Having a six-year-old boy around the house, I sat down with him on the couch and we read it together. His verdict: "Pretty good!"

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Comments

beautiful book

Submitted by Anonymous on 8 March, 2010 - 19:51

I love sharing books about art with my daughter so this one is perfect. The illustrations are wonderful and the dog-as-narrator is sweet. I love that it opens the door to a conversation about the creative process. My daughter enjoys it for the illustrations and the dog's story!

A wonderful story with beautiful illustrations!

Submitted by Anonymous on 6 March, 2010 - 19:46

My seven year old daughter has a passion for art and loves this book. It quickly became one of her favorites. When we read this book before bed she always takes her time never rushing and she truly seems to enjoy all the illustrations and the story. As a parent I think the story is a refreshing concept and gets my daughter to think about her art in new ways. I would recommend this book to anyone. I think I will buy a few extra copies to give as gifts for upcoming birthdays.

Finding inspiration as you go.

Submitted by Anonymous on 6 March, 2010 - 16:49

This is a charming book about finding sources of inspiration everywhere as you go about your daily life. It is a nice touch that Edgar the dog is telling the story, and he is brought to life in the lovely pictures. I like seeing first the thing the artist observes and then the way she uses it in her work. The story encourages any creative person to look around and then to go make something beautiful whether they are a weaver or not.

Finally a book that makes the

Submitted by Anonymous on 6 March, 2010 - 12:17

Finally a book that makes the artistic vision understandable to children! I read this book to my preschool class and they loved it. On one level it is a sweet story about a girl and her dog, but on another it explains how an artist finds inspiration in the world around her. It is funny, poignant, and beautiful. The illustrations are simple and strong. The colors are rich and elegant. I will use this book to entertain and inform my students.