Barnaby Unboxed!

Starred review from June 28, 2024

PreS-Gr 2-In the tradition of Corduroy and The Velveteen Rabbit, Barnaby has sat in his box on a shelf in the Perfect Pets store "for as long as he could remember," waiting for someone to choose him and take him home. When an unnamed "little girl" purchases Barnaby, he experiences newfound joy in the glow of her loving attention. Barnaby's bliss is temporary, as the girl sees an ad for the new "Rainbow Barnaby," whose colored stripes make her plain pink Barnaby seem dull by comparison. Neglected by the little girl, Barnaby gets lost in the city where he tries to find his way home despite "a sinking feeling no one was looking for him." Sharp-eyed readers will notice the "Lost Barnaby" posters before Barnaby is reunited with the little girl, who has searched for him all along. The digitally colored graphite illustrations mirror the range of Barnaby's emotions, from the bright colors of his happiest days to the muted tones and threatening shadows of his loneliest moments. Readers of all ages will identify with Barnaby's pain and longing, and more sophisticated readers will catch the subtle criticism of the YouTube-style "unboxing" video and our endless pursuit of the "new and improved." VERDICT A heartfelt and emotional commentary on love and the limits of the human attention span.-Amy Reimann

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2024
ReprisingThe Barnabus Project (2020), the Fan brothers revisit the reopened Perfect Pets store, which sells adorable boxed creatures with engineered, interactive personalities. Barnaby, "half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo," is anxious about the exciting new Perfect Pets on offer. As the last Barnaby on the shelf, will he ever be chosen? Then, a light-skinned little girl does just that. At first, the pair are inseparable. She reads him bedtime stories; he helps her with chores. And every Saturday morning, they watchBarnaby and Friends (our hero is a branded tie-in to this popular TV show). Everything changes one day when they tune in to find that Barnaby's been replaced by new "Rainbow Barnaby." When the girl's father won't buy the colorful new Pet, the girl's interest in plain pink Barnaby wanes. As her father walks him one rainy Saturday, Barnaby slips his collar, intending to run away just "long enough for people to miss him." Days become months. Barnaby escapes a feline "orange beast," discovers other lost Pets in a dumpster, and encounters his Rainbow doppelg�nger, who disparages Barnaby's dirty, now-gray fur. In the park, squirrels teach Barnaby their wild ways, sheltering him all winter. Spring brings a reunion with the searching girl, who reawakens Barnaby's memories. The Fans' deft pictures combine intricate details and ground-level perspective, conveying empathy for children and the even smaller creatures that populate their world. Human characters are diverse. Joy, despair, reunion, community--delightfully, all here.(Picture book. 4-9)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 1, 2024
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* At the newly reopened Perfect Pets store, first featured in The Barnabus Project (2020), the last toy Barnaby--"half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo"--sits on the shelf, unsold. He's finally chosen by a young girl, and soon enjoying his new life, including playtime, walks, bedtime stories, and watching the Barnaby and Friends cartoon, always together with his companion. But one Saturday there's an ad for a Rainbow Barnaby: the girl is excited, but Barnaby? Not so much, and he becomes increasingly neglected--and dejected. Hoping she'll notice, Barnaby decides to leave, but once he's alone in the city, he gets lost. Then a journey begins, and he meets friendly, also-forgotten Perfect Pets, has a run-in with a snooty Rainbow Barnaby, and is taken in by kind squirrels in the park. Over time, memories of his little girl fade, until an unexpected encounter brings a happy reunion, not to mention a few realizations about what Barnaby truly values. Vibrant, intricately rendered mixed-media illustrations expressively depict small, cute Barnaby and the other fanciful creatures, which are in playful contrast to their real-world setting, and extend the descriptive narrative with engaging background details. In this delightful take on the classic toys-come-to-life story, the text and art--and Barnaby--will surely charm while conveying a reassuring message of the value of being appreciated for who you are.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2024
The "half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo" Barnaby (The Barnabus Project, rev. 1/21) sits in his box at the Perfect Pets store, along with other collectibles, hoping to find a "perfect family." One day he catches the attention of a little girl who takes him home, and soon the pair becomes inseparable: going on walks, playing dress-up, and watching TV (including their favorite show, Barnaby and Friends). All this attention leaves him with an inflated ego; however, when the girl's interest turns toward a newer-model "Rainbow Barnaby," his bubble quickly bursts. Ignored and unappreciated, Barnaby runs away and has a series of eventful encounters, culminating in a new friendship with two squirrels unconcerned with fame or perfection. As the seasons change, Barnaby develops a stronger sense of his own worth, making his eventual reunion with the girl all the sweeter and more satisfying. The story moves at a gentle pace, taking regular breaks from the action to offer reflective moments. ("The park was very quiet. Only the leaves whispered their secrets to the night air.") The Fan brothers' hand-drawn and digitally colored illustrations exist somewhere between classic and contemporary, confidently moving through an array of layouts, all the while constructing a smartly self-referential visual world. Patrick Gall

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
The "half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo" Barnaby (The Barnabus Project, rev. 1/21) sits in his box at the Perfect Pets store, along with other collectibles, hoping to find a "perfect family." One day he catches the attention of a little girl who takes him home, and soon the pair becomes inseparable: going on walks, playing dress-up, and watching TV (including their favorite show, Barnaby and Friends). All this attention leaves him with an inflated ego; however, when the girl's interest turns toward a newer-model "Rainbow Barnaby," his bubble quickly bursts. Ignored and unappreciated, Barnaby runs away and has a series of eventful encounters, culminating in a new friendship with two squirrels unconcerned with fame or perfection. As the seasons change, Barnaby develops a stronger sense of his own worth, making his eventual reunion with the girl all the sweeter and more satisfying. The story moves at a gentle pace, taking regular breaks from the action to offer reflective moments. ("The park was very quiet. Only the leaves whispered their secrets to the night air.") The Fan brothers' hand-drawn and digitally colored illustrations exist somewhere between classic and contemporary, confidently moving through an array of layouts, all the while constructing a smartly self-referential visual world.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)