Yours and Mine

by Peter Geissler, Anthea Bell (Translator), Almud Kunert

"Mine's big, yours green as leaves in spring. I can pull mine on a string . . ." So begins this charming story of two friends who embark on a flight of fancy, as they compare and contrast their imaginary friends in a classic children's game. The book's imagistic text invokes all sorts of exciting creatures and situations, from the mysterious being that eats chestnuts to the one that "lurks in nooks and crannies" to the "poor lonesome soul" who has vanished. With striking illustrations and a compulsively readable rhyming text, this surreal picture book is both a delightful read in itself and a perfect starting point for all sorts of discussions.

Genres: Picture Books

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2005

Reviews

[Harriet Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yours and mine is a story about two children's imaginary friends. The book has a simple narrative structure of each child telling the other a feature of their friend's personality. The book has beautiful illustrations, however, I was unsure about what it was actually about until I read another review.

If I was to use this book in a classroom I would read it out and get the children to discuss what it could be about. I would then do an English lesson getting the children to write about an imaginary friend and draw pictures to go with their descriptions.

Although I found this book a bit confusing, I am sure that children would love it. There are so many things the story could be about the children would have great fun using their imaginations.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in German, this is the English translation of this story/poem. It's an unusual poem and although the rhymes are catchy, the subject is a bit of a mystery. On the last page, a cloud and balloon are depicted, but we still aren't sure if those were the "Yours and Mine" items, as they don't seem to fit the rhymes. Odd, but creative and despite the drawings on the walls, I like that it sparks the imagination.

[Lightwhisper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Li a versão portuguesa da editora O Bichinho de Conto, cujo título é "Eu já sei bem!", e é uma história muito bem ilustrada, talvez mais ao estilo de Tim Burton, com personagens mais atípicas e cores mais secas mas belíssimo e imaginativo livro para todas as idades.

[Julie Flake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the pictures in this book but I was confused by the story. I didn't really understand until I read the inside jacket. It's lovely once I understood, but kind of detracts that you can't figure it out during the story.

[Francisco]

Boas cores e desenhos, não tem história tho