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What do you call a dog, a seagull, a squirrel, some bison and a couple of raccoons?

Cover of The Eyes and the Impossibl
A review of The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
Shawn Harris

I call them winners! 

No joke, this book is sensational and worthy of all the accolades. Recipient of the 2024 Newbery Award given to the author of the most distinguished children's book of the previous year, The Eyes and the Impossible is funny, smart and unusual. I loved it.

A dog, a seagull, a squirrel, some bison and a couple of raccoons work together to maintain a journalistic network of sorts to provide an accurate record of the happenings in the park where they reside. They are a motley crew to be sure, but they are trustworthy and have earned their spots as the "eyes" or "reporters." Their reporting is accurate for what they know. Human children and adults will understand this to be quite limited. As the story progresses, however, the animals learn that all is not as it seems and that the world, their world, is much, much larger than they initially thought. 

Get ready for some hijinks, a well-executed heist, and overall madcap fun. This book made me laugh out loud many times, which is rare indeed. Available from LINKcat and Libby in book and audio formats, with audiobook narration provided by Ethan Hawke.

May 28, 2024