Pip's Book

Guido Van Genechten (1957, Belgium) studied drawing and painting, graphics and photography. Afterwards he worked for many years in the graphic industry. Now Guido works as a fulltime illustrator of children’s books. In 1998 he won the international Illustrator’s Award City of Hasselt with his picture book Ricky. This prize was the beginning of his international career as a children’s book illustrator. Since that moment, Guido Van Genechten has created many best-selling stories and received several awards. In 2007 he was the winner of the Reader’s Digest Award for Best Children’s Book Illustrator. And in the past ten years his books were published in 30 countries around the world.

"In this tale reminiscent of “The Mitten,” a chick helps a very long dog find room inside a book.A bug-eyed yellow chick named Pip welcomes everyone to their book. Light blue speech bubbles and vast negative space draw attention to the tiny protagonist. Pip asks readers if they can invite Timothy Vanderlong, “the longest dog in the world,” into the book. So begin opportunities for interaction in this gentle comedy. A dog nose sneaks onto the verso, with light blue shadow below. The stark white background makes the otherwise ordinary appendage intriguing, especially when Pip encourages readers to “pet his nose gently.” The warm instructions and cheerful illustrations throughout the brief story strengthen readers’ interest in and enjoyment of books by making everyone feel part of the adventure. As Timothy tries to squeeze himself onto a spread, children learn about supportive friendship as well as physical space limitations. Wiggly kids can stretch and coil just like Timothy, building their imaginations... A satisfying foldout page to help fit Timothy and the sweet entry of Elly the elephant (or at least Elly’s foot) add pops of tame surprise. A small story with countless interactive opportunities." - Kirkus Reviews