In this picture book for the young at heart, we follow the humorous adventures of the duo Bink and Gollie. These free-spirited, quirky little girls would fit right in at Central Market North on a Saturday afternoon, wearing their Converse and striped socks, turning the playscape into an imaginary mountain, and having pancakes for lunch.
At its heart, the book is a tale of friendship and compromise. It also is a study in contrast: in each of the three stories the girls are portrayed as complete opposites in personalities, appearance, and opinion. Their individuality creates conflict, and their resolve shows how strong their friendship truly is. The stories are illustrated in gray tones with spot colors accentuating the characters and other key elements. The pages are even laid-out in such as a way as to split the characters' dialog with story-boarded panels much like a graphic novel or comic book.
This black versus white theme is even carried out with the setting. They could live in Anytown, USA with its mom-and-pop shops on nearly vacant streets, with a few hills and ponds nearby. Yet, their homes are decked out with mid-century modern pieces that look like they came straight from the hip furniture store Design Within Reach. They even shop local, have staycations, and are animal activists, much like the typical Austin-tacious kid. This is a must-read for any adult who is weary of the popular characters in today's children's books, and there is no doubt that the children of such adults would befriend Gollie and Bink in a heartbeat.
Written by Alison McGhee and Kate DiCamillo, and illustrated by Tony Fucile, Bink and Gollie is a Junior Library Guild Selection and an ALA Notable Children's Book.
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