It’s just a silly string, this wet old thing. Or was it? In "The Things A String Can Be," the main character Sam leaves the house after days of rain with nothing in tow but his imagination. He finds a simple piece of string in a big puddle and spends the entire day dreaming of ways to turn this ordinary object into extraordinary adventures with his friends. His adventures then lead to a heartwarming ending. In Sam’s mind, the string becomes Tarzan’s jungle vine, a tree swing, jump rope, necklace for his mom and much more. With rhyming, repetition and bold, colorful graphics, author Julie Goulis and illustrator John Ferguson encourage children to use their own creativity to entertain themselves. Children are captivated by this imaginative young boy and his adventures with a silly old string. "The Things A String Can Be" is the first of a series of books using ordinary objects to go on extraordinary adventures. It also includes a bonus free activity guide at the end that gives children, parents and teachers several creative projects using string and the imagination. The strikingly original illustrations are hand-drawn in pencil and then colorized and enhanced by computer. Julie Goulis teams up with John Ferguson in two outstanding picture books. Both are superbly created. The Things A String Can Be and Something Shiny, Something Round are picture book springboards for young imaginations long after the books have been read. -- Midwest Book Review The Things A String Can Be was conceived with an excellent concept in mind and produced with strikingly original illustrations that are beautifully printed. Children will love the pictures and the repetitive phrases. The book is well worth having. -- Ohioana Quarterly This book is adorable, and young children will be wowed by the bold, colorful graphics. Commendable is the premise of transforming a string into wondrous objects merely by employing one’s imagination. This theme is essential in these days of video games and mind numbing television. -- Rockland Review
