• Age: 3 to 7
• Grade: p to 2
• Reading age: 3 to 7

A road trip that takes readers into a big, wide world—and into a small, narrow one, too! With the same sophisticated, minimalist design that characterized Work: An Occupational ABC, Drive is an exploration of opposites.

Any child (or adult) who has stared out the window of their family’s car counting license plates and state lines will recognize the highs and lows of being on the road. Sit back, or front, if you’d prefer, and come along for the ride.

KELLEN HATANAKA is a designer and illustrator who lives in Stratford, Ontario, with his family. He has written and illustrated Work: An Occupational ABC (an ALA Notable Children’s Book) and Drive: A Look at Roadside Opposites. He also illustrated Tokyo Digs a Garden, winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award.

Kellen Hatanaka's profile page

Hatanaka gives the 'opposites' book the same hip, graphic treatment he gave the alphabet book in Work: An Occupational ABC. . . . Each two-page spread displays a pair of opposites, embedded in scenes that are impressive visual puzzles.

New York Times

With his architecturally whimsical style of many primary colors, Hatanaka is two-for-two for turning the predictable into something original to entertain and enlighten our youngest readers; we lucky older armchair travelers are in for a visually gleeful trip, as well.

BookDragon

Drive is a vocabulary primer that covers the essentials, with the right amount of detours.

National Post

[An] example of an author-illustrator knowing exactly how to keep various elements working together harmoniously.

Quill & Quire

As with many road trips, the destination in this stylish offering is not necessarily as important as the journey.

Publishers Weekly