If by Sarah Perry. A interesting book said my grandson. He liked it that ants made the number eight because he is eight. He goes these are like riddles. I asked him do you like it. And he said he does. One other thing Sarah Perry is my grandmas name.

I can see why this was republished! It is a surreal classic, reminiscent of 'Tuesday' by David Wiesner. I adored the captivating and strange illustrations. This book is perfect for kids around 4-6 as they will easily be able to spot what's wrong/different about each picture vs. reality. My 5 year old loves picture books like this so I can't wait to show it to him.

Thank you NetGalley and Getty Publications for providing this ARC.

A collection of ponderings of what it would be like if music could be seen or turtles were magnetic, or a whole host of other improbable and impossible ideas were true? Each spread includes a pondering on one side and a illustration imagining it true on the other.

I’ve never come across this book until I saw the 25th anniv. ed. up for review on NetGalley. I decided to see what it was like. It certainly does spark the imagination. This book would make a great story starter or conversation start tool. The situations dreamed up are wild, crazy, and very out of the box. Recommended for dreamers, those with healthy imaginations, and those who like to wonder “what if…?”

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: One illustration shows a child with a bare butt.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If . . . is a reformat and re-release of a gorgeous picture book from 1995 by Sarah Perry. Due out 3rd March 2020 from Getty, it's 48 full color pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is a very short book, but overwhelmingly lush and beautiful. The pictures are surreal and realistically rendered. The artwork is precise and engaging, it draws the eye and invites a lingering contemplation. I have revisited the book a couple times since my original read-through, and I've found myself thinking about one picture or another many times in the intervening hours.

Each of the 23 paintings (not counting endpieces) has a one sentence introduction "if" ants could count, hummingbirds told secrets, dreams were visible, with the artwork illustrating the posit on the facing page. The illustrations are surreal and dreamlike with lots of semi-hidden subtleties and sly details.

This is an all-ages book. Adults will appreciate the beauty and creativity while children will likely appreciate identifying the features of each of the illustrations and everyone can enjoy hunting the hidden 'easter eggs' in each painting.

This 25th anniversary edition also includes a reader's guide with some background info on some of the pictures as well as 2 new paintings and some new spot illustrations.

Gorgeous book, haunting in a good way.

Five stars.

My Review: I vaguely remember seeing some of these illustrations as a kid but not this book, but I love when older and backlist books get a new breath of life. This is definitely a book of whimsy, you don't really get a story only ideas and beautiful artwork to spark the imagination. I think my favorites are "If Cats Could Fly" and "If Clouds were Spirits". In addition to these wonderful little imagination starters, the images also have little hidden secrets, which are revealed at the end to send you back into the book. It is really a lovely book, that will be great for all ages but really great to help spark young creative minds.


My Rating: This is definitely a book that stands the test of time, it is so creative and unique and will spark those quality it the readers as well. You can't help but send your imagination flying while paging though this one. I give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag!

What child doesn't love to ask the question, "What if..." This book beautifully illustrates just that question.

While, as an adult, I found that some of the illustrations made me squirm uncomfortably, (Mice as Hair, Toes as Teeth) children will adore it. Plus, it helps their mind bend into new ways of thinking! What a great classroom exercise to talk out before giving students a problem/project where they need to think outside the box.

4.5 Stars (but only because some of the pictures gave me the heebie-jeebies)

Thank you to NetGalley & Getty Publications for giving me this digital copy to read and review.

Imagine having butterflies for clothes or whales in space. In this updated 25th anniversary book by Sarah Perry, beautifully painted watercolor illustrations show these imaginative images. Simple text let's the reader imagine before turning the page to the illustration. The endmatter shares hidden surprises within the illustrations throughout the book. The endpapers are included in the mysterious surprises letting the reader guess what the ants are showing. This would be an amazing book to springboard into an art class or creative writing class! Bravo to the J. Paul Getty Museum for publishing this magnificent book of art and imagination!

Beautiful illustrations! I love the imaginative nature of this book - though a few of the pages made me cringe! (I HATE mice, so the "what if mice were hair" page had me turning to the next page very quickly!

This is a simple yet complex book. Filled with beautiful and intricate illustration and imaginative scenarios, 'If...' is a fun read with a great concept. I loved the art, it was vivid and unique.

'If...' would be a fun read for children (and adults), encouraging creativity and for minds to roam free. I'd recommend this book to both children and adults.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Getty Publications for an EARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An creative and thought provoking picture book; beautifully illustrated in vibrant colour. Perfect for challenging and stretching the imagination of readers, both young and old.

What a fun book to share with a child. What if? Talk about the pictures, go on flights of fancy. What a joy!

"If" is one of my favorite questions. This book is beautifully illustrated and I love the creative thought that went into this book. As a creative writing teacher, this would be a great resource.

The pictures made me think of Surrealism and of the work of some artists like Leonor Fini.
It's a breathtaking read and I fell in love with the pictures.
One of those book I'd like to own in hardcover as it's amazing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Quick fun book that all ages can enjoy. I think kids would enjoy the silliness of some of the scenarios while adults can really appreciate the amazing illustrations. Although in personal taste I found toes as teeth and mice as hair a bit disturbing lol. I think this is a great book for letting imagination run wild.

I'd never heard of this book before, what a fantastic concept! Great for curious and playful minds, I can hear the kids giggling away at it now.

This book will be a delight to school-age children who are beginning to develop a sense of more complex humor and ideas. Adults and teens who appreciate art will also enjoy it. Some of the pictures startled me when I flipped to them (example was the mice in hair), but this only lasted a few seconds and then I liked the uniqueness. The intriguing “if” statements followed by the lush illustrations are a great pairing. I do not remember reading the original book, so the concept seems refreshing to me. This is a title for not only reading, but it can be a path to creative writing and artistic expression in classrooms and libraries.
Thanks to Getty Publications for an e-galley.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am first reviewing this for myself. I find some of these pictures interesting and some super unsettling and terrifying (What if toes were teeth??? No thank you!) But as a mother, I think my 3-year-old would probably find it interesting, and probably as she gets older she'd only be more interested in making up more "What ifs." But I don't know if I could deal with seeing the horrorshow of toes for teeth long enough to let her really enjoy it until she's old enough to read it on her own.

If by Sarah Perry
If is a beautifully illustrated book. Each page encourages the imagination to run in all directions. I can just see this book being read in a group of 4 year olds, priceless! A unique way to instill thought and communication of all ages. This would make a nice party get acquainted game.

I'm not gonna lie, the cover itself is what pulled me towards this book. The very strange fish on a plant esthetic had me curious, and with a title like "If..." - the suspense was killing me.

Apparently it was made back in the 90s, so I'm shocked I never picked it up as a kid. I devoured books as a child, but my city wasn't super diverse in it's library offerings. Lucky me, I get to pick up this book so many years later!

This story presents many "what if" scenarios like cats flying and magnetic turtles. The pictures are beautiful and the story is soft, simple and sweet. This book is definitely for a very young audience, but it's a very fun book. I could see three to five year olds bonding with parents and reading buddies over this joyful little book.

My biggest positives:
1. The art is FANTASTIC. The Siamese cat flying was beautifully drawn, and that's just one of many. Add that to the wild cover page, and you've got some wildly beautiful art. It didn't feel like a picture book, because it was just so darn pretty.

2. The creativity of some of these what ifs is absolutely wild. Worms with wheels?! I never wouldh ave imagined it. I am totally impressed. Except for my only negative of the book.

3. The braille shout-out! I totally approve and got super excited to see that splash of diversity! That's not a word I see too often and man am I proud!

4. The Reader's Guide at the end was very interesting to read as an adult reader. The kids might not like it as much, but I was intrigued. It had me thinking like a kid again!

My (obviously very personal) negatives:
1. Mice... as... hair... What? Why? Who thought of this?! Honestly, I'm curious. I'm horrified. My hair as mice?...

Overall, I'd say this is a must read picture book. It stands in line with Robert Munsch's classics, The Hungry Caterpillar, Grandma and the Pirates (my personal fave) and other wonderful popular books. This book is unique, full of creativity and imagination, and totally thought provoking. We need more books like If... littering the shelves of children everywhere.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Getty Publications for this awesome opportunity to pick up this literary classic.

Lovely surrealistic illustrations of the "what if" premise. The book is a wonderful tool to start the creative processes of children and adults. What would it look like if cats drove or cows played cards. A definite purchase for my collection.