Another Caldecott medal honor recepient I had the privilege of meeting at the Medal Winner's book signing was Mr. Wuffles author, David Weisner. A long time fan of Weisner's Flotsam, Tuesday, and The Three Pigs, I was thrilled to meet him in person. Weisner has certainly captured the wordless book audience, and Mr. Wuffles does not disappoint.
Actually, Mr. Wuffles contains many words, but they are nearly all in alien which is rather difficult to decipher. My 7 year old was actually a tad perplexed that I couldn't interpret the symbols representing the alien speak. His opinion is that we should sit down one day and make a code sheet and try to break the alien's code. Another of my sons thinks that the symbols are chirps and beeps, much like R2D2 language. Therein lies the beauty of Weisner's work; two children can "read" the same book and enjoy parts of it quite differently.
The illustrations captured the cat's personality perfectly, and even the alien were expressive, which is a remarkable feat for the plethora of little green guys. You won't find nearly the beauty of illustration here as in Flotsam, but what Mr. Wuffles lacks in beauty, it makes up for in imagination, suspense, and humor. Subtle details will draw you back to read again and again as the aliens and their unlikely insect allies scheme to outsmart Mr. Wuffles. The emphasis of friendship and teamwork are also excellently portrayed throughout the illustrations.
