Sunday

A pale-skinned boy and his dog battle Sunday doldrums with an imagined journey in this meditation on adventure. With domestic distractions occupying family, the protagonist and pup venture forth alone. As their expedition takes them "from the freezing cold of ice caps... to the baking heat of lava flows," each location bears resemblance to household spaces. Tolentino pairs venturing lines with art that embraces matte coloring and a retro etched look, creating immersive spreads that amplify the wonder of the pair's round-the-world jaunt with a hidden-pictures effect. A line of camels traverses a sand dune that, at second glance, takes on the contours of a person's face, and a pirate ship's flag mirrors the shape of laundry hung to dry. When the explorers return home, accounts of their daring provoke a profound realization about the child's boundless future in "the wild unknown." Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3-7. (Jan.)-Publishers Weekly (10/14/24)