Reflections

by Ann Jonas

"In Jonas' latest tour de force of trompe l'oeil, each double-spread serves as in Round Trip, the book is reversed for a return journey, in this case from forest to seaside....A rain cloud becomes a flock of ducks, a ferry upends to a restaurant....Fascinating."--Kirkus Reviews.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Mathematics

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Jonas book follows the main character throughout the day. The story is simple, using tier 1 and tier 2 words that is accessible for most readers. The font is Helvetica Regular.
The images are gorgeous water color illustrations. The story is very basic which allows the reader to spend much more time focusing on the illustrations. I challenge any reader not to be in awe of the brilliant way in which Jonas made each illustration two different images - depending upon how you are holding the book (right side up or upside down.) I found myself going back through the book over and over, flipping it upside down and then back again. I am in awe of Jonas' artwork. There are so many small details that she had to take into consideration in order to make the illustrations effective.
The end papers are a beautiful shade of blue with light blue and white dots, leaving the reader to wonder whether it represents the ocean, the sky or both. All of the images have a white border (about one inch) none of the images are a full bleed. There are multiple perspectives and many hidden clues.
The seventh turn of the page is one of my favorites due to Jonas' ability to create clouds with rays of sunlight breaking through only to turn it upside down and realize the clouds are also ducks swimming in the water. This is the same for the ninth turn of the page. The beach goers are swimming and digging in the sand however what changes when you turn the book upside down are the shadows. Jonas' use of shadows to represent the passing of time (early morning to later in the day) that follows the character's storyline is so clever and well done. This is definitely a book that readers will want to go back to over and over in order to fully grasp the concept.

[Lucasjacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Reflections focuses on the journey of the main character of the story. The story follows the character as they go upon their journey across the book. Making different observations of what she is seeing, which you see as well in the book. From when the character wakes up, to what the weather is like, and what the character notices on their journey. The book takes a unique turn at the middle of the characters journey when the character decides to head back home. But it is the last page of the book. Which then tells you to turn the book around which you then read the book back to the beginning and retracing the characters steps of what was observed. Which now look different due to being flipped over compared to what they looked like in the initial viewing. The book ends when the character finally gets back home from their journey and goes to bed.
Teaching Tool:
This book could be a great teaching moment for students about different ways people write and construct story books. This book has the unique take of using its illustrations in an interesting way. Where when you first open the page is looks like this in the reflection, but once you flip it over it looks completely like something else. I think this is a great way to introduce students to new forms of books, and how unorthodox picture books can be.

[Cassandra Arrotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a bit perplexing as I read it. The perplexation had more to do with its illustrations than with the words printed within it. I could not understand if the pictures were upside down or right side up. As the books title explains, it is meant to be a reflection, but a reflection from who viewpoint? This element is what I believe makes the picturebook postmodern. I can see myself spending hours attempting to analyze its illustrations, only to discover numerous possibilities. Is it from the viewpoint of a cloud, person, water, mirror? You will have to read it if you are to determine the answer.

I can see this book being read and viewed at any educational level. Younger students can learn about the definition of a reflection and study other ways that reflections are understood within the world. This book can also be used by older students to talk about individual and literal perspective and reflections. It can also be used as a lesson plan to just analyze the illustrations within in it. I find that this book can be very versatile within a k-12 teaching environment for many different qualities that it bestows to its audience.

[Morley Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a lot of fun to read for various reasons. If the art style isn't enough to engage the reader, the physical interactiveness of the book is. The illustrations are of bold watercolour images that spread across both pages. The colours give a sense of warmth and the minimal narration allows for more time to spend looking at the illustrations. Once reaching the end of the pages, physically turning the book upside down to read back again adds an element of fun as well as a different request of engagement from the reader that goes beyond focusing on narration or the pictures. This story also provides a lesson of challenging the reader's perspectives by challenging the views of the same images previously encountered. This book is an enjoyable read and can be symbolically applied to a reader's personal life.

[Shandy Htun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations of this book are definitely contemporary. The use of the story line to lead the readers to the end of the book, and then have then flip the book is definitely newer than previous use of illustration and story line. After flipping the book over, readers get a new perspective of the illustrations, that bring them from their old journey to their new journey. This is definitely not an easy feat to accomplish because the illustrator must have had to think ahead in order to create the correct illustrations. This is a wonderful book that children will have a lot of fun reading through and seeing the new perspectives.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is clever in its story presentation. The pictures are beautiful, yet I was a little disappointed in the way some of the pictures worked out. The principle behind using 'reflections' or a different angle (in this case upside down) is wonderful but I feel that some of the pictures didn't quite make sense for the story that was told. The use of colors was excellent, and the story itself was cute and simple. Definitely a good book but could have been better.

[Allison Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primary

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

This book was adorable for more than one reason! Yes, it was a simple story about a child's journey one afternoon, but it also gives a good piece about flipping your perspective. Then, quite literally, your perspective does a 360 as you flip the book upside down and continue to read the story from the opposite perspective, as the child returns back. I definitely enjoyed this book and the toy aspect of it makes it even more enjoyable!

[Alissa Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Realistic Contemporary
Grade Level: Pre-K-3rd grade

The book Reflections is a beautifully illustrated book. The story follows the typical day of a little girl see as explores the seaside and the beach community which she lives in. Children who cannot read yet will be enticed to start learning how to read when they see the pictures in this book. I would recommend this book for any early reader.

[Isaiah Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book. The simple story pairs nicely with the detailed illustrations. I loved the water-color illustrations and I enjoyed that each image was 2 separate pictures. When the images were flipped upside-down, they revealed another image that was just as breathtaking as the first. I genuinely cannot say enough good things about the illustrations of this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

You want clever, Goodreaders? You want creative?

Then I've got the ultimate picture book for you. Prepare for:

* Few words and lots of space.
* Traveling uniquely from seaside to forest.
* Super-colorful double-page spreads.
* Open up your mind to take an amazing fantasy voyage.
* Soon you'll turn it all upside down.
* In your round trip, let this book take you on a reverse journey.
* Go from forest to seaside.

And maybe, over the days that follow, repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

[Laurie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures are wonderful! The traditional format of a picture book is distorted where the pages need to be rotated to view the pictures and to read the text. Very unique and will keep the reader wanting to turn the next page and use their imagination. A great example of a post-modern book which allows the reader to look at situations form different perspectives.

[Jaelyn Stock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections by Ann Jonas, has illustrations that could be looked at as tricky but have so much meaning to them supporting the plot line. The book shows reflections from a viewpoint of being upside down. The world turned over and not the way we typically view it. The voice sounds like someone who is casually going about their day, but by us looking at the images we may feel that it is not casual.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another turn around and read from the back to the front book with illustrations that flip around and look different either way you look at them. My boys liked this book a lot and we read it several times.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW, the illustrations are definitely reflections. When one thinks they have finished the book,one turns it upside down and read the last half of the story.when each illustration is turned upside down it magically turns into another illustration.

[Carlie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Appropriate Grade Range: Preschool-3
Review: This story was great. It is something relatable and the pictures made it even better. You read on one side of the book and when you get to the end you aren’t finished. You turn the book around and the story has more to it. The pictures change and you get a different perspective. I really enjoyed this book and I will read this to my class in the future.

[Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The low amount of words in this book allowed the story to be told through the illustrations.

[Elly Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction Grade: K-3
I think it was interesting how within the book it was flipped backwards halfway through, because of how it was about the reflection.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the pictures! Some of them were surprising what you saw on the way back through! 🙂

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first this book was difficult to read - there are two stories going on at once. One story is at the normal top of the page, but the other story is upside down. Pretty neat!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronicles a child’s busy day by the sea, in a forest, at a carnival, and then to dinner and a concert. The illustrations change when the book is turned upside dwn.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Fascinating pictures that change as you turn the book around, but still reflect the story.

[Emily Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

o Grades K-2
o Realistic fiction
o This book made me think. When I read it threw the first time I was quite confused with how I was supposed to read it. Then I understood. This book is sweet makes you think about life just alittle more.

[Megan Hosinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: K-2
This is a really unique book! I really like how the book starts over but "reflected" when you go through it again. The illustrations really add a lot to this book. I think the author was really creative when making this book, as not only is the story creative but also the format of the book in general. Great book!

[Gloria Linkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

K-2 grade level reading.
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
This book deals with refections. All around us is reflections but we just don't realize it. Ann jones does a good job at showing us where those reflections are at. This would be a great book to share with younger children. It can be modeled by showing how something terrible can happen in life but by creating a new look on the issue it can make a whole difference.

[Delaney Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: contemporary realistic fiction
Grade level: K-2
This was such a unique book. The illustrations were incredible and would have taken a long time to create as they formed pictures either way that you read through the book. This book inspires creativity. It made me want to create something as unique. Reflections could be used to help teach creativity because it is different from any other book, but that does not mean that it is wrong. Creativity is the ability to make something new. Although the grade range is K-2, I think that this book is applicable at any age. I love that this book is different from anything I have read before.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars
2-5th grade
Diverse perspective-realistic fiction
This book was very interesting. As it was being read to me, I found it completely fascinating the way that you read it forward and then read it again backwards. The images made the book come to life in both directions, and I would recommend this book just for the illustrations! They were beautiful watercolors!

[Kimberly Idso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections is a book that follows a child through his day. The child wakes up early, goes out to sea, and passes the fisherman and ferry until he reaches the beach. Once on the beach, the child decides that the beach is too crowded and continues on until he gets to the woods. In the woods, the child decides that it is too scary and turns around to pass new, but yet familiar scenes, until he makes his way back home.

Although the story wasn't too exciting, the picture were amazing! The pictures were like nothing I have ever experienced before in a book. Each picture was created to be a reflection to create a new picture and new scene. When one reaches the end of the book, they must turn the book upside down and read the book backwards to finish the story. It was very exciting to see what new pictures could be created from the reflections. As for the design of the book, each page and picture was bordered with white with the text of the book lining the border. I found it very interesting that in the paritext of the inside cover pages the pictures were both different. At the beginning of the book there is a dark blue colored page with white and light blue polka dots. On the back cover there is a light blue page with white clouds. I found this interesting because I feel like in most books authors make both pages the same. I have never seen two different pictures. I found it very unique. Overall I liked the book. The story wasn't super special but I felt like the pictures helped enhance to make it a good book.

[Sarah Ravel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reflections by Ann Jonas turns the reading experience upside down as she leads the reader through one day in the life of a child narrator. The watercolor images contain a hidden surprise, showing two different images when held one way and another image when turned around. As the reader opens the first page, we know that this is not a typical picture book. The first image seems to be reflected and there is text located right-side up on the bottom of the page and upside down text printed at the top of the page. It is on this page that the title Reflections begins to make sense. After flipping through the book, the structure emerges. The narrative works sequentially when the book is read right side up from front to back and then turned upside down and read backwards. Due to the highly interactive nature of the book and the multiple meanings pulled from the images, Reflections could be considered a postmodern picture book. I found some illustrations surprised me as I turned them around while others did not seem as natural. However, I enjoyed the interactive nature of the book and looking at the images. The text functioned mainly to direct the reader to understand the image in a particular context. On its own, the text would not be interesting at all.

[Carly Bontrager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic fiction
K-2nd grade
I think this is a fun book about perspective. It gets you to think outside the box and look deeper into the images. I love the creativity of the illustrations. I love the journey that the book takes you on and how it keeps you engaged.

[Jordan Schwab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reflections provided a new format of storytelling for me. I had never before seen a story that you have to read and then physically flip the book to finish it. I thought that the aspect was really cool. It also went along with the story of the daily routine of the narrator. The narrator went through his day and turns around to finish it.

The pictures are reflections which only makes sense with the title and therefore aren't a solid image and sometimes get a little confusing. I believe the watercolor used to make the illustrations helps ease the process of making the images transferable. However, it was still pretty amazing to see the images flip over and turn into something completely different to go along with that part of the story.

The pictures are all in borders which provides an ease of reading the text which is also in a fairly simple font and structure. There are a lot of bright colors which visually stimulates you as the text might not be considered all that intriguing.

I would probably use this book in an art class to teach some sort of concept versus making smaller children read it unless you were teaching sentence structures.