The Visitor

PreS-Gr 2—Panophobic Elise never goes out, night or day, and she likes her house to be perfectly tidy. One day, upon cracking a window to let in fresh air, a paper airplane lands in her living room, opening the door to Elise's whole world. This appealing picture book draws in readers right from the endpapers, which are like peeking into a perfectly detailed black-and-white diorama. The illustrations remain in monochrome, capturing a bit of sadness and loneliness until the arrival of the blue paper airplane. With it come swaths of color, brightening the pages as well as the mood of the story and its protagonist. The owner of the paper airplane is an outgoing young boy, eager to retrieve his toy. He is forthright with Elise and finds his way into her home and her heart. A full and heartwarming story about the power of companionship that will delight young readers and have older ones wanting to learn more about Elise's path through life. The illustrations are three-dimensional with the contrast of paper cutouts for characters and other design elements throughout.