Loose Threads

An embroidered shawl's underside represents an alternate realm in this inventive picture book. Having lost keys, a scarf, gloves, an umbrella, and more, Leilah deflects their mother's scolding. Leilah explains that "everything here is in its place... just like the stitches in Grandma's embroidery." But stories are told about an adjacent domain, "full of knots, dangling threads, and odd animals," that can only be seen in dreams. Convinced that the missing things have fallen through holes in the world, Leilah ventures out, armed with supplies to make repairs. But closing up those holes has unexpected and unpleasant results around the summer solstice. Sketchlike characters atop textile and scarf backgrounds bring to life Isol's eerie concept, which celebrates the fascinating reverse side of intricate stitching patterns. Character skin tones reflect the hue of the page. Endnotes cite the highlighted scarf as being a gift from the Tamer Institute in Palestine. Ages 7-9. (June)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Existing alongside Leilah's beautiful, orderly village is another, chaotic world called the Other Side... Inspired by a traditional hand-embroidered shawl that she received on a visit to Palestine, Isol's eye-catching, unique illustrations feature photographs of its patterns; the outward-facing side is the backdrop to Leilah's village, while the reverse sets the scene for the Other Side... [A] clever, playful tale... Whimsical and imaginative."

"Brilliantly realized, this is a charming, unusual fable of two worlds, each the reverse of the other but ever in balance."

"Inspired by the traditional embroidery of Palestinian culture, this ­Argentinian import honors unseen worlds. The mixed-media art relies primarily on highly textured and detailed embroidery to tell the tale... Isol depicts a world embroidered in red thread... Delightfully, she also depicts the back sides of these embroidered cloths to emphasize the 'much stranger' other world 'just behind ours.' She renders the startling, eye-catching forest with black threads, for example... A richly imagined tale told with loving care."

Selected for the Children Book Council's Summer 2024 Showcase: Imagination Celebration

"The celebrated Argentine picture-book creator Isol presents 7- to 9-year-olds with parallel realms in Loose Threads, an illustrated story that plays out on either side of an embroidered cloth. On one side houses and flowers appear in neat stitching, while the obverse shows a mess of knots and dangling threads. On the tidy side lives a little girl named Leilah who's forever losing things—keys, gloves, colored pencils... An affectionate coda, meanwhile, reveals that the dwellers on the fabric's untidy side are indeed as fantastical as Leilah could hope and that they enjoy putting her 'gifts' to stylish use." — Wall Street Journal

"The images created through the wear and tear of this scarf are the perfect landscape for creativity and imagination in this sweet story that sparks curiosity. This book is beautifully illustrated and relatable for young children with a strong sense of wonder! Recommended for those who like inventive, unique books." —Marí Valiente, The Park School Library (Brookline, MA), Youth Services Book Review

"Isol is a great Argentinian illustrator, a very well-known and beloved artist who is constantly challenging herself and her readers... A wondrous invitation to think about life's different sides."

—Mariana Ruiz "Geekdad"