Violet is a creative young girl who is always daydreaming, no matter where she is or what she’s doing. When she and her family move into her grandmother’s old house she uses her imagination to make things more exciting. As she unpacks boxes in her new bedroom, Violet finds a box of strange crayons. She decides to add color to her bedroom by drawing a picture of a beach and a ship to hang on her wall.
Violet wakes later that night to find that her picture has come to life and she can step into it. She’s greeted by the mysterious Wilhelm, who leads her on a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas. But when it’s time to go home Violet discovers that getting out of the picture isn’t quite as easy as getting in. Wilhelm gives her a special compass to help her find the way back to her bedroom, but when she accidentally drops it into the ocean she’ll have to go to great lengths, and depths, to get it back. Along the way she meets a pirate mermaid and finds a mysterious bejeweled key.
Jillian Her and Kevin Cook have together created a great little story in DRAWN IN that focuses on imagination and creativity. The plot is cute and well thought out, but it could use a little more detail, especially about the drawing world. The ending is also a little abrupt and feels unfinished and the book could definitely benefit from a good editing, just to polish things up. The dialogue and word choice in particular need a little work. But Cook’s bright and colorful illustrations really bring the story to life. The mix of styles and the use of color is really nicely done and feels professional. This book will appeal to both older and younger kids. They’ll love following Violet on her adventures and looking at the lovely pictures.
DRAWN IN, written by Jillian Her and illustrated by Kevin Cook, is a cute children’s book filled with whimsical illustrations and adventure on every page.
~Heather Stockard for IndieReader