Intended for children ages five to ten, the book is a fun, light-hearted story of community and change. At the heart of its premise, Case embeds a loose metaphor for alternative energy and the perils of fossil fuels. He does so, however, in such a way that doesn’t insist on any age-inappropriate political agenda and leaves parents the option to simply tell their children a cute story about noodles, poodles and more. While the book’s wordplay may grow somewhat tiresome for parents, its commitment to the recurring rhyme is impressive, somewhat funny, and sure to be enjoyable for the kids. Case’s ability to create a nearly nonsensical world that is held together by a prevailing sense of community, togetherness, and words that end in “–oodle” is, in and of itself, a reason to give the book a shot.
The book’s illustrations go a long way in further enriching the world that Joseph creates. Reminiscent of the art style found in old educational cartoons, Case’s images are filled with quite a few colors across the spectrum, making the book’s visual component as vibrant as its language. In this way, color is one of the book’s centrepieces. Perfectly in sync, the two creators work together to make colorful characters in a colorful world that uses colorful pictures and words. Although both Joseph and Case have their tongues in their cheeks, the book’s playfulness does not overshadow its hopefulness for change or its light-hearted insistence that a future in which the air is clean is just around the corner.
Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles and Lots and Lots of Noodles is exactly what you expect and more; it’s an adorable account of a future in which the world’s biggest problems are easily solved by the power of community.
