Hide And Seek

by Anthony Browne

When their dog goes missing, Tom and Mary play hide and seek to distract themselves. Mary counts to ten and looks for Tom but she can't find him anywhere. But then there's a rustling from the woods - maybe someone else can help her find him... A reassuring tale of sibling love by the master Anthony Browne.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Dogs, Family, Adventure, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

Published November 28, 2017

About the author

Anthony Browne, a Hans Christian Andersen Medalist, is the author-illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including Silly Billy and Little Beauty. He lives in Kent, England.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two children feel sad, their dog is missing, and they decide to play hide and seek. As they hide and seek in the woods, there are hidden pictures for the reader to seek too. I really liked the visuals to this story, from the title page letters allowing you to peer into a woodland scene to the twisted trees reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch or Salvador Dali with hidden items to find that are listed in the back. I liked the style of illustration, they are very 80's to me, an odd light and slightly creepy, not enough to scare a child but enough to keep the adult reader interested! The story gets across the feeling of being alone in the woods, the feeling of vast trees, nature, the possibility of people or things watching. This was an enjoyable read and we haven't found all the hidden objects yet!

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy and Cy are sad because their dog "has disappeared." They decide to play.

"What about cards?" asked Poppy.

"Boring!" said Cy. "I want to play monsters!"

"Monsters are STUPID," said Poppy. "Why don't we go outside?"

"But what WILL we play?" asked Cy.

"YOU come up with something," said Poppy.



So they decide to play hide-and-seek in the big, big woods.

Cy hides.

He knew he had to be quiet, but he couldn't stop shaking.

Poppy keeps looking for him. Later we get this:

Oh, no, thought Cy. I think I need to pee! Why does this always happen when I hide? I wonder if Poppy will find me soon....

The book goes on and on. Eventually both children hear a scary noise. We actually see the tears welling up in Cy's eyes in fear.

But it's the dog, Goldie. Yay!


THE GOOD:

The illustrations. Not only are they gorgeous, but Browne has 'hidden' things in the pictures that are listed at the end of the book that readers can find. It's not like "I SPY," it's more like when you watch clouds, and you say, "That cloud kind of looks like a turtle." Or when you look at a wooden dresser and you can see the wood forms the shape of a rabbit. That kind of thing.

I definitely did not find all the hidden things. They are very well hidden. If the / your child(ren) like finding things (I Spy, Where's Waldo) they will get a kick out of this.

Slight human touches that are usually excluded from kid books but add so much, like:



He knew he had to be quiet, but he couldn't stop shaking. and the part where he talks about having to pee. I find this makes the book more human and kind of gives a depth to a children's book that doesn't usually exist.


THE BAD

Casual use of the word: Stupid.

Weak plot and text. A lot of it is just counting and wandering around in the forest. I would have cut a lot of the text tbh.

Kids' dog disappeared and they didn't even go searching for it? I mean, they found it, but shouldn't they have been a little more concerned? Most kids would be IME.


TL;DR Worth it for the illustrations even though the text is weak.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new book by Browne! Yay!!
---
I love that Browne challenges his readers. This gets a bit scary in the middle. Of course it has a happy ending, so that helps. But what helps even more is that some of the hidden items are listed, so the reader can go back and find them... and by doing so, spend more time working through the feelings provoked.

Sometimes I wonder, though, if Browne's favorite characters are apes because he draws them more comfortably and beautifully than he draws ppl.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Distraught at the absence of their dog, Goldie, who went missing a week before, and bored in their small home, two young children try to distract themselves with a game of hide and seek in the nearby woods. As Cy hides in a wood pile and his older sister Poppy hunts for him, the reader can detect various things in the gorgeous but slightly eerie illustrations. Eventually Poppy finds Cy, but someone else has found him first...

This latest title from prolific British picture-book creator Anthony Browne is a delight! The story is simple, and its ending heartwarming, but the real satisfaction comes from perusing the beautiful artwork. Not only is the splendor of the woods in autumn captured - the sparkling quality of the light, and nakedness of the trees, with the leaves upon the ground - but there is a surreal aspect to some of them that invites a second look. Sometimes the girl's shadow looks like something else, sometimes one sees an unexpected object in the landscape. There is a list of things to look for at the rear of the book. Hide and Seek is one I would recommend to fellow Anthony Browne fans, to autumn lovers, and to anyone looking for children's books that have a "hunt and find" aspect to them.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browne's 50th picturebook sees him back on form as Poppy and Cy, brother and sister, decide to overcome their grief over the loss of their dog by entertaining themselves in the woods near their home. Children are encouraged to explore the environment looking for things hidden in the trees and whilst less haunting than The Tunnel, the trees themselves are still captivating and rather beautifully rendered by Browne (I'd argue it's one of his most beautiful books yet). With the game of hide and seek underway, the tone and colour changes and the fear heightened.
For me, Browne has really been off-form for around a decade but since he's gone back to the wilderness, I feel he's found his muse again.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Anthony Browne's distinctive and beautiful illustration style. His books are always a pleasure to read.

[Cristina Di Matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ti cerco, ti trovo è un albo illustrato per bambini poetico. Una storia intima e rassicurante sull’affetto tra fratelli.

Per distrarsi, decidono di giocare a nascondino nel bosco. Ma dopo essersi separati, riusciranno a ritrovarsi?

L’ultimo testo scritto e illustrato dal maestro Anthony Browne, vincitore del Premio Andersen internazionale e tradotto in oltre 15 lingue. Grazie alle straordinarie illustrazioni ricche di dettagli nascosti da trovare e a frasi semplici, il piccolo lettore è catapultano del bosco insieme ai due protagonisti che giocano a nascondino.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like it that much. The illustrations were a bit on the obscure and creepy side, while the story is somewhat straightforward (hide and seek between siblings), but the side story is strange.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtlety. Not a word you instantly associate with products for the Under 7s. Hide and Seek, Anthony Browne’s 50th picture book, is a masterpiece, and its genius is in its subtlety.

Goldie the dog has gone missing. To cheer themselves up, siblings Cy and Poppy play hide and seek in the woods. They enter a timeless world of surprises in the dark. The wood is bigger and stranger than they expected, and as they lose sight of each other, there is a sense that anything could be lurking around the corner.

The reader is drawn into the game of hide and seek. An array of objects are cleverly hidden within the pictures, from furniture, to musical instruments, paws and crocodiles. The game is challenging – certainly, some objects are a little easier to find, so children won’t give up straight away, but other objects are cleverly hidden into the pictures different shades and tones. This is a book which family members of all ages can share, and enjoy together.

A sense of foreboding is created with light and dark, and with perspective. The trees seem taller and more numerous when the children are afraid. When the story is resolved, the woods look brighter, and are viewed again at child height. I also love how indoors looks confining at the start of the story, but when the children run home, their caravan at the edge of the woods looks like a warm and welcoming place.

Clues in the hide and seek game hint at the happy ending, and build up to the moment of revelation.

Anthony Browne is undoubtedly a master of the picture book form, and his books are truly beautiful.

[Mairéad · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 I enjoyed the majority of the story, finding it deliciously dark and creepy in the best possible way (ideal, like many of Anthony Browne's picture books, for slightly older readers 8+) but the ending fell flat and felt disappointing for me. The hide and seek challenge, asking readers to examine the illustrations closely to spot particular images, is a nice touch, I can imagine young children and their parents having lots of fun with this activity after reading the story together.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost and found, it's Anthony Browne! What is there not to like? It's the story of two children and their missing dog, Goldie.
Anyone who likes hidden picture stories or those who like dogs will enjoy this one.

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kids play hide and seek hoping to find their dog

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neat book with hidden pictures to find on each page.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story with lots of things to look for hidden in the forest.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cy and Poppy go play hide and seek in the woods to distract themselves from how sad they feel that their dog Goldie is missing. Readers will soon discover there is more to the title than just two kids playing hide and seek.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a picture book that plays hide and seek with you, as readers are encouraged to spot unusual creatures and objects hiding within the illustrations. The story itself was kind of disjointed.

[Ellie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browne is not known for being straightforward in his works, but this one I found particularly ambiguous. After their dog goes missing (the fate of which is quite mysterious), Cy and Poppy decide to play hide and seek in a wood, and the pair are separated for quite some time. The underlying meaning behind what happens here is really quite debatable, I am left wondering if it is a mirror image of what happened to their dog when he disappeared, or a reflection of their internal worries regarding loss repeating itself.
The story becomes shrouded in obscurity as soon as the children enter the woods. Similarly to ‘Into The Woods’, fear and dangers are so tightly tied to the forest, and the heart begins to race with Browne’s changing tones and textures. More depth is added to the narrative through his depiction of trees, which become skeletal and filled with illusions. There certainly appears to be more taking place than first meets the eye, and I do not think it is an issue to be uncertain of exactly what is taking place.
On a side note, it is excellent to see characters depicted from a background less commonly portrayed within any of the literature that I have read. After their time playing hide and seek, the two children return to their mobile home, which resides on the outskirts of a possibly underprivileged area. So important for diversifying children’s understanding of different ways of living, and ensuring that readers who do not live in the supposedly ‘conventional’ home are valued and represented within their reading.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little brother and big sister have some time to play together. They bicker for a bit as typical siblings will before settling on a game of Hide and Seek. Big sister is "It" and starts to count as little brother finds a wonderful place to hide. The best hiding place that he has ever found! Sister begins her hunt, thinking that it will be as easy as ever to find him. He has to try really hard to stay hidden when he discovers that he desperately needs a bathroom. A long time passes and both children are frightened by a new sound. Their dog finds them both and together they are safe.

This is a game of Hide and Seek. There is no theme or message beyond the game they play. What makes this amazing book are the illustrations. The are BEAUTIFUL! The colors are rich and warm and autumnal and everything has a peaceful, rustic grace that makes it impossible to turn the pages until one has taken time to fully appreciate the details and get a sensory feeling of time and place. The children play together well and show concern for one another as the game plays out which creates a nice family dynamic in the end. The book ends with a list of items that readers can also look for in the story. Good text with amazing illustrations makes this an outstanding book for your collection.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hide and Seek by Anthony Browne. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2017. $18. 9781536202601

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Two siblings are sad and don’t know what to play ever since they lost their dog. After much debate, they decide to play hide and seek in the forest. Poppy, the older sister, can’t find Cy, her younger brother. They both get nervous, but when they find each other they also find their dog.

The plot of this story caused me some anxiety while reading. The kids seemed so worried, that I was worried for them. The hyper realistic illustrations are beautiful but they also contributed to my anxiety - showing kids scared and alone in the woods. The part of this book that I did love was the hidden pictures throughout the book. There is a list at the back of the book of items you can find during your reading.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Browne's picture books are always objects of beauty, with lots of hidden symbols and messages to reward the observant reader. Some I love, while others have the potential to be quite scary or difficult to access.
In Hide and Seek, the woods are like a third character. I loved how the shadows morphed in hidden characters and how there is a list of things to spot at the end of the book, encouraging readers to go back and look more closely. I felt that this approach really helped to create that scary feeling of being lost in the woods and jumping at every shadow, yet the ending is sure to reassure any younger readers.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy and Cy’s dog has gone missing and they are feeling upset about it, they decide to go and play in the woods to distract themselves. This results in them finding their dog. There are lots of hidden images in the pictures which could lead to discussions about what they mean, such as why their is a wolf, apple, dog or crocodile. The colour throughout the book changes to reflect the mood with them being quite dull and dark when the children are frightened and bright and light when they return home with their dog. A nice story to use with KS1 and lower KS2 children.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sister, Poppy, and brother, Cy, have just lost their dog and they are sad and bored. As they try to decide what to do they agree on a game of hide and seek. Poppy tells Cy to go and hide as far into the forest as he can. As she looks for him, Poppy realizes Cy's not as easy to find as she thought. Did he go too far into the forest? As he's hiding, Cy get more nervous and scared waiting, did Poppy leave and go home?

Reading this book, I could sense the worry and fear from both Poppy and Cy. I don't think it's a book I'd choose to pick up and read to a child.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Browne's picture book Hide and Seek is full of nuanced illustrations that will intrigue children and parents as they pore over the story and pictures. There is so many hidden pictures in he illustrations and Browne even provides a list of things to look for at the end of the story that will surely make you want to go back and look again. This is fun for children who like search and find books as well as a great story. For ages 3 - 8.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cy and Poppy are sad because their dog has been missing. To distract themselves, they decide to play hide and seek in the woods. But the game proves a bit difficult for both of them, and has a surprise in store.

In the back of the book are things the author/illustrator hid in the illustrations for readers to find. Some this is a story about hide and seek but also has a hide and seek element for the reader too.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

In addition to the story, you can play at finding the hidden objects in the pictures.

Miss 3 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Browne continues to challenge the reader / viewer with this latest addition to his collection. Two bored children who have lost their dog in the woods, set off to play hide and seek. The reader is invited in to do the same with many images hidden within the woods and many allusions to well known tales.
A simple story that actively engages the reader.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite liked it - probably closer to 3.5 stars than just 3. The game of hide and seek is fun, especially with the dogs hidden throughout to remind you of why the kids are playing hide and seek in the first place.

(Also, I was glad to see the list of hidden things at the end, so I didn't think Anthony Browne was just messing with my brain...)

[Ashley Adkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The text of this book was simple and had a very consistent voice and emotion throughout. The story could have had a bit more climax to it and I think there is opportunity to create more growth in the characters. The title was very hard to find on Goodreads due to the common title. I loved the soft illustrations and the fun "hide and seek" element to them.

[FM Family · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has that weird spooky vibe that most Anthony Browne stories have, but I keep picking them up from the library because I keep forgetting it's him! It's two kids playing hide and go seek in a spooky forest and nothing bad happens but the whole time it really feels like it might. My 4 year old enjoyed it well enough for the tension but didn't ask for it again.

[Olivia S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't wild on this. The story is really simple, and the ending is predictable. The pictures are...interesting. I wasn't wild on them, but the woods are cool looking, and finding the hidden images might be fun for one-on-one. Not my favourite. 4+