Mac Barnett, an established American writer who studied under David Foster Wallace, is best known here for his Terrible Two series and picture book collaborations with Jon Klassen, such as Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. The illustrator Claire Keane, whose gorgeous style is reminiscent of the author-illustrator of the Madeline books, Ludwig Bemelmans, is an artist for major animations such as Frozen, Tangled and Enchanted. They make a delightful, witty pairing.
And the ending brought a lump to my throat. “And Paolo’s proud spirit was boundless. He could not be contained.”
