A glorious book showing us how the world can come alive when we stop staring at screens. There is magic in the discovery of the natural world on a rainy day. Not only that, but in 'doing nothing' at the end with her mother, saying nothing; just being in each other's company. Beautiful illustrations immerse us in the humour and beauty of the outside world and the thoughts of a young gamer-girl. The girl glows in her orange jacket, echoing colours of toadstools and a rainbow in the wet landscapes. ( )

Beatrice Alemagna tells the story of a young girl who finds a haven in her hand-held video game, where she spends most of her time attacking martians. The book mentions that her dad may live elsewhere (in the city) and that she is bored in the country-side where her and her mom live. Her mom's interactions with her seem limited, except for when her mom takes her game away, hides it, and tells her to go outside (though she "always" finds where the game is hidden). The young girl adventures out into the rainy day with her game in hand. A twist of events occurs when she accidentally lets her game drop in a pond. This turn of events leads her to find the "magic" of the outdoors on her "do-nothing-day." This book turns the reader's attention to reclaiming what "doing nothing" means. I found this particularly relevant in our current screen-obsessed society, where "doing nothing" is often synonymous for staring at a screen. This book sparks the magic of "doing nothing" in the outdoors. From interactions with snails and seeds to breathtaking views in the trees, "doing nothing" surely seems like something! ( )

The illustrations in this book are very texture-heavy, using furs, wood, and literal paper texture differences adding to the feel of the story. Rather than drawing raindrops, Alemagna uses a texturing technique to create the look of rain. Color is also an obvious factor in the illustrations, with the main character's bright orange raincoat starkly contrasting the entirety of the book. The rest of the book uses very dark neutral tones, and to bright orange jacket forces the eye to follow it. However, once the character starts to discover the adventures of the world around her, she starts to become a part of the world, her jacket joining in on the red and orange hues of the mushrooms and dirt. The texture of the jacket is also literally different on the paper. If you angle the book to see light reflecting off of it, you'll notice the paper has a slight sheen while the Orange jacket is completely matte, also causing it to stand out. ( )

This book's great advice urges readers to turn off gadgets long enough to notice the places and people around them. For the main character, even on this seemingly dreariest and most boring of days, being separated from her hand held game ensures that she gives the world a new tech-free chance. Without her gadget, she finally notices what's around her--the landscape and sky, the animals, insects and plant life, and the chance for splashing in puddles, running down hills and climbing trees. Eventually, she even notices more about herself and her parents. The beautifully illustrated dark and rainy landscape adds to the possibility of mysteries waiting to be discovered by the contrastingly and brightly illustrated character. Beatrice Alemagna's illustrations are very detailed in this enjoyable book. ( )

When the all-important device disappears into a pond, a child discovers a fascination with snails - "antenna - as soft as Jell-O;" underground treasures and the beauty and wildness of the natural world. Vibrant illustrations illuminate the child's emotions - anger, sadness, delight - and the magic of being outdoors, alone. ( )