The Great Escape

* “Lilting prose and detailed, luminous art make for an adventure readers will eagerly dive into again and again. . . A glorious look at the often-frustrating nature of family dynamics—and the power of magic.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “The children, rendered in watercolor and ink, fly, tumble, and ride seahorses across textured, richly colored sea- and skyscapes. Children will recognize the feelings of frustration with siblings and the wish to escape, and Marcero gives them a wide-open, imaginary landscape to discover when they do so.” —The Horn Book, starred review

* “The use of images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, combined with traditional mediums, makes the story feel both magical and rooted in reality. A fantastical book that will remind readers (older siblings in particular) about the importance of cherishing time with family.” —Booklist, starred review

* “Wildly inventive . . . Mixed media art seamlessly blends a playful cartoony style with ethereal beauty . . . There’s a Wild Rumpus look to Evie’s sibs, dressed as they are in animal onesies and frolicking in the evening-colored palette; youngsters may find this pretend world as appealing as Sendak’s classic.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

* “A delightfully creative reading experience that whisks young readers away on a grand adventure. . . The Great Escape offers young readers a cosmic quest overflowing with magic and wonder.” —BookPage, starred review

* “Marcero's striking illustrations, playful use of form, and rhythmically onomatopoeic text elevate this picture book . . . Graphic novel-style panels and vignettes in muted colors cleverly reinforce the ordinary; a drastic shift to an unrestrained palette along with a new reading experience (the reader must turn the book upside down and around) captures the extraordinary.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

“Luminous. . . the best magic isn’t about making problems disappear but rather finding new ways to orient to them.” —Publishers Weekly