The Hero of Little Street

by Gregory Rogers

A high-spirited adventure starts in present-day London, where a small boy kicks the... read more

A high-spirited adventure starts in present-day London, where a small boy kicks the rogue soccer ball that hit him on the head and is chased by the gang of kids to whom the ball belongs. Taking refuge in the National Gallery, the boy ends up among the Dutch masters, where the small dog from Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Marriage slips off the canvas and joins him in a romp through the halls. The two climb into the frame of Vermeer’s A Young Woman Seated at a Virginal to return a sheet of music they found on the Gallery floor, then head out her door to explore the picturesque streets of seventeenth-century Delft. A detour down a dark alley—is that ever a good idea?—leads to a heart-stopping encounter with a butcher who is furious when boy and dog unlock the cage of impounded pooches that appeared to be the makings for his sausages. A wild and comical chase ends with justice prevailing in both past and present in Gregory Rogers’s witty, wordless tale. Varied perspectives enhance the detailed and masterful visual storytelling achieved through panels and full-page spreads. (Ages 6–10)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2013

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