The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination

This book's fanciful pretext, fabulous wordplay, and whimsical illustrations explain and encourage imagination and inventiveness in a most intriguing manner. Even the copyright page supports the concept of the existence of the Fantastic Bureau of Imagination, stating that the illustrations were created using real and imaginary textures and that some of the figment (character) names have been changed, but others have not. The convincing explanation that this was done to keep the readers on their toes may be humorous, but it also works as a challenge to read the text with intention and study the illustrations meticulously. The story is set in the unseen Fantastic Bureau of Imagination where business is conducted by curious creatures known as figments. Here, mail delivery figment Agent Sparky explains the bureau's mission to provide the world with all things creative from the fine arts to engineering innovations. The organization is running smoothly until the Cave of Untold Stories becomes so overpacked that an explosion seems eminent. There is an obvious solution to this impending disaster. Agent Sparky realizes that he must encourage others to share their creations and he has a new mission, recruiting additional agents for the Fantastic Bureau of Imagination. The book concludes with an invitation to create a badge, accept the mission to be creative, and invite others to join the challenge. VERDICT This would be a great motivational tale to share with young artists, aspiring writers, and gifted education classes. With its emphasis on creativity, self-expression, and production, this delightful book is perfect for libraries with makerspaces.—Lynne Stover

Before wishes, ideas, or creative solutions are shared in the human world, they're delivered to and nurtured by figments at the "highly classified" Fantastic Bureau of Imagination, so secretive an operation that an image of its exterior has been comically excised from the pages of this high-concept picture book. Among the figments--a robust staff of winged creatures who process the ideas--is mail room worker Sparky, a cherubic introvert portrayed with light brown skin who, contrary to his employer's mission, is fearful about sharing his own poetry with anyone but faithful dreampuppy Rascal. When humans forget that "ideas are not just meant for having and hiding, but for sharing and living and doing," Sparky discovers that the Cave of Untold Stories is poised to explode--and take the entire bureau with it. Realizing that he's part of the problem, he finds his courage and organizes the bureau staff to deliver poetic inspiration to humans everywhere: "We must all dare to DREAM, /but must also DO!" The Montagues (The Circles All Around Us) fill their worldbuilding fantasy, rendered in digitally colored pencil drawings, with gentle humor and rich details, including an elaborate schematic of the bureau's many departments. Their pages should reward repeated looks while nudging readers to get out of their own way. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)