Where Are You, Wilbert?

by Bárður Oskarsson

A small gray rat and her large gray friend, Wilbert, are playing hide-and-seek. Wilbert is tough to find, so the rat asks a passing crocodile for help. Together, they hunt behind every tree they can see, and finally, the rat spots Wilbert. But the crocodile can't see Wilbert -- even when he's standing right in front of them. Why not?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

36 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2017

About the author

Bárður Oskarsson is a Faroese children's writer, illustrator and artist, who has won several literary awards. His books have been translated into English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Czech amongst others.

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't get Wilbert. A rat and crocodile are playing hide and seek with a huge friend, Wilbert. The rat finds Wilbert but the crocodile doesn't. It is supposed to be about perspective etc. but I just don't get it. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book isn't for me. First off, I don't care for the style of the illustrations. They don't come across as charmingly simple to me, just badly drawn. Secondly and perhaps most importantly I really don't get the story at all and I don't think that a child would either. The description asks why you think the crocodile can't see Wilbert but the author doesn't give you any clues to figure that out for yourself. It feels like something is missing. Perhaps it is just intended to be funny and doesn't have some deeper message, but even if that is the case it still misses the mark in my opinion.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Becky B · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rat is playing hide and seek, but can’t find the other player named Wilbert. A friendly crocodile agrees to help the rat, but even though Wilbert may be super obvious to readers, for some reason the crocodile can never find him.

I’ll be honest, upon first sight of the crocodile I told my husband that that illustration may be the most disturbing drawing of a crocodile I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if the art style is supposed to look like a child drew it (or possibly the artist is a child??) or if it is a style specific to the culture of the original publication locale of the Faroe Islands??? Regardless, the characters look odd and I’m not a huge fan of the illustration style. The text reads a bit stilted and formulaic, which is fine if this is aimed at a beginning reader audience. The layout isn’t typical for a beginning reader, though, and the illustrations are a bit drab in color scheme, so I can’t see this being super popular with the target audience. The plot line is a bit odd too. I wasn’t sure if Wilbert was supposed to be imaginary or if the crocodile is just humorously incredibly incompetent in finding? Perhaps the biggest selling point is that this was originally published in the Faroe Islands (which I had to look up because I'd never heard of them before) and provides a very unique origin for a translated book.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hide and seek anyone? It's the tiny grey rat's turn to be "it" and after counting down, off he goes to find his large gray friend Wilbert whose hiding... mmmmm... somewhere. He looks up and down and in and out but he cannot find her anywhere. Oh my, she's good!!! Baffled by his friend's ability to become almost invisible little rat asks a random crocodile if maybe he could give him a hand at locating his friend. They try scouring the area one more time but no luck.

Finally the little rat zeros in on Wilbert's hiding spot and excitedly exclaims...

"Hey Wilbert!" the rat shouted. "I can see you! You're it!"
Then the rat asked the crocodile, "Can you see Wilbert's ears?"
"No," said the crocodile.

What? You can't? This book informs us that we all see things differently, and sometimes we have blindspots that block our view completely. This book is about co-operation, friendship and imagination. The words are sparse but the illustrations are amazing. I especially love the crocodile, he stole my heart. I highly recommend this book.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where are you Wilbert by Bárdur Oskarsson is a picturebook about a small gray rat and her large gray friend, Wilbert. They are playing hide-and-seek. Wilbert is tough to find, so the rat asks a passing crocodile for help. Together, they hunt behind every tree they can see, and finally, the rat spots Wilbert. But the crocodile can’t see Wilbert, even when he’s standing right in front of them. Why not?

Where are you Wilbert is a sweet picturebook about imagination and friends. I like the minimal text and light colors in the illustrations. The effect is gentle and sweet, emphasizing the way different people see the world. I like that even though the crocodile cannot see Wilbert, he is still friends with the rat and does not make fun of her for their differences. I found the book to address perspective and imagination well, while keeping the story sweet and enjoyable.

[H Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a rat was trying to find his brother Wilbert, met the crocodile, they had a fun conversation, in which the crocodile tries to trick the little rat. They then went on the journey and found Wilbert, for whatever reason the crocodile cannot see Wilbert no matter what.

The book seems to be written from the perspective of a kid. Little kids may find it funny, while older kids, like 5 or older may find it frustrating because we are not provided any clue of why the crocodile cannot see wilbert, and would go with questions like "that's it?"

The illustrations are simple, with light color, while I have to say they are not well done. Apparently the illustrator lacks the proper skill of rendering and evening coloring large area...I received the book as an exchange of honest review from NetGallery

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rat is playing hide-and-seek with her good friend, Wilbert, but she can't find him so she asks a friendly crocodile for help.

This was a bit confusing. Wilbert is described by Rat as like her but taller and Wilbert ends up being... taller than a tree, and not an animal that I could easily recognize. The text is minimal and very simple but I enjoyed the sketchy illustrations. I think I liked the crocodile most of all but there was little direction or focus to this story.

[Richelle Zirkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting title about a rat playing hide and seek with his friend, Wilbert. The rat seeks the help of crocodile. Even though crocodile can always find rat, he is never able to find Wilbert.

I'm left assuming Wilbert is an imaginary friend and that's why he can't be found by anyone other than rat. The illustrations are nice, but the story is just okay. Our three year old wasn't too enthusiastic about this one.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Magy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rat is playing hide and seek with her friend Wilbert but is having a difficult time finding him. She teams up with a crocodile and they set out to spot Wilbert. Where could he be?

Where Are You, Wilbert? is a unique picture book that some will love and some will not get. It's peculiar tale and equally interesting illustrations are worth a try.

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

[Jennifer Miera · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are strange and lovely at the same time, but I don't really "get" the book after the rat finds his friend Wilbert and the crocodile can't see him, even though he's a gigantic rhinoceros (I think). I loved the spread where the rat is looking for Wilbert and comes upon crocodile and crocodile says he's eaten Wilbert, but then reveals his empty mouth. An odd book. Swedish humor? I think the original publication was Swedish - or another Nordic language.

[Dorthe Svendsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Igjen, anbefalt i litteraturen på engelskped-studiet. Men det ble litt ulike språk jeg fikk tak i. Den som blir nevnt i særlig stor grad er hund-katt-mus, det er nok den som er min favoritt også. En må jo ha noe å bidra med for å kunne få noe ut an ev sosial relasjon. Det virker litt som at alle Oskarssons bøker tar for seg noe helt hverdagslig, men på en slik måte at en må tenke litt for å få frem de rågode poengene som ligger i de enkle historiene. Likte forfatteren godt jeg!

[Stephanie (ITakePicturesOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

~Disclaimer~
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A rat is playing hide and seek with his friend Wilbert. While trying to find him he recruits a crocodile to join in. They look all over for Wilbert. When the rat finally spots him the crocodile can't see him at all.
This book had cute and simple illustrations. I was just a bit confused if Wilbert was an imaginary friend or not.

3/5 ⭐

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m confused by the 2 star reviews. This is a delightful children’s book!

We found this book for our toddler while searching for children’s books from other countries. It’s about a rat who has an imaginary friend, until he makes a real friend. Unlike the other reviewers, we didn’t find it hard to understand.

[Carrie Ekeroth · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was cute, but my kids and I were condused by the second half. I'm not sure if it lost something in translation, or if that was the intention, but we were confused about Wilbert. Was he an imaginary friend?? Why else could the other character not see him?

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't get it. I loved the illustrations, tho'! The story- not so much. I didn't get how crocodile could not see Wilbert, even when he was right in front of him! I'll pass.

[Mary Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hide and seek with an imaginary friend.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story of hide and seek takes on new meaning when a little rat is a giant rat. The illustrations in this title are what makes this simple story great.

[Jenna | Bookmark Your Thoughts · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Ready or not, here I come!’”

Simple and sweet, Oskarsson’s Where Are You, Wilbert? is a funny little picture book that brings to light the joy of imagination and the importance of making friends. Unable to find his friend Wilbert, the Rat seeks the aid of the Crocodile to help him in their game of hide and seek. A charming piece of literature, Oskarsson’s children’s book is an amusing tale that kids will have a laugh with. Does the Rat end up finding Wilbert?

--Contains Minor to No Spoilers--

I received an ARC from Owlkids Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way sways my review or opinion of the novel.

As I mentioned a couple weeks back, I went a little crazy on Netgalley and basically applied for as many children’s novel as I could. In hindsight, not the smartest idea; live and learn is my motto!

Looking at the reviews on Netgalley, I thought I’d give Oskarsson’s picture book a chance. How can I not with such an adorable storyline and cute cover. Moment of truth, how did it fair out?



Maybe it’s me, but I don’t understand how Oskarsson’s children’s book has such high reviews on Netgalley. Though the plot is adorable and the title’s catchy, this book was such a disappointment to me. Yes, there’s a deeper meaning…but it most definitely wasn’t enough and it wasn’t obvious whatsoever. In general, I definitely feel this picture book is missing many appeal factors to draw the attention of both children and adult readers.

Story | Plot

"Where Are You, Wilbert?" is a story about a small Rat playing hide and seek with his friend named Wilbert. When he comes across a Crocodile, he seeks his help in finding this friend. It’s a simple and cute sounding story, one that young school aged children would relate to easily.

The story itself isn’t not the issue, but rather that this is ALL there is to the story. Furthermore, the ending is fairly confusing; it took me a second and third re-read to have a better grasp at the meaning, which I’m not even sure I got right. Without spoiling too much, the ending basically has some weird resolutions about imagination and creativity but doesn’t provide a real explanation of what’s going on with the character named Wilbert. As a librarian and one who taught a Junior Kindergarten class, I firmly believe children would either grow bored or confused with this picture book.

If there were perhaps a few more pages and more dialogue to conclude the ending, I would’ve probably given this book three cups of tea. However, the lack of an overall conclusion and deeper meaning to the story leads me to give it two cups of tea.



Characters | Character Development

The story revolves around three characters: the Rat, the Crocodile, and Wilbert. The book is less than 50 pages, so there isn’t really room for too much character growth or development. However, I still expected SOME kind of development or awe-inspiring element…but no, I was let down. The characters are very cute, such as the witty Crocodile who teases the Rat, but there’s nothing very special or magnificent about them.

There is a small twist with Wilbert’s character at the end; however, this was one of the most confusing parts of the story! There really isn’t a feeling of conclusion or resolution as to Wilbert’s character, so you’re basically left guessing. This may be deliberately done by the author, but it wasn’t something I typically enjoyed.

Artwork | Illustrations

The illustrations in "Where Are You, Wilbert?" are probably the most appealing factor of the children’s book and what saved me from giving this a one cup of tea rating. Though they aren’t extremely vibrant or intricate, the illustrations are rather dainty and cute elements to the picture book. Personally, I feel as though children would find these simple drawings adorable and fun since they almost have the appearance of a small child’s drawings. Thus, it’s a piece of artwork that they can personally relate to and probably mimic if they so chose to. Sometimes, simple and clean is the way to go with children’s books.



Language

The language is straightforward in the sense of grammatical structure and the flow of the dialogue. For the most part, it’s easy for a child to comprehend and possibly read on their own. Additionally, I love how large the words are printed in the book since it makes it easier for educators and parents to read to children.

My only complaint about the language is that it’s TOO simple, lacking anything fun and exciting in the dialogue that would catch a reader’s’ attention. Maybe the phrase “simplicity at its best” doesn’t always work?

Final Thoughts

The thing about children’s literature is that it’s typically short and sweet, so the overall meaning of the story MUST be clear and concise in a short amount of time. For me to provide anything rating three cups of tea or higher, there must be a deeper meaning and symbolism to the story in addition to a number of other appeal factors. Oskarsson’s picture book regrettably failed in this department for me. The story was cut off rather quickly, you had to search for the meaning behind this story, the dialogue was rather mundane, and there was a lack of appeal factors to this story. Overall, I find that "Where Are You, Wilbert?" is a confusing and dreadfully boring piece of literature that doesn’t provide much more than fun visuals.

Is Oskarsson’s picture book your cup of tea?

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay...weird?

[Lisa Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the artwork in this picture book. Great for reading to a child or two but too intricate and tiny details in the illustrations to be a good group storytime book.

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the illustrations and the book up until the end; the dialogue is a bit stilted, but I think that was on purpose. Then I got confused when I met Wilbert...

[Christine Stamper · Rating 3 out of 5]

wtf

[Stephanie Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read

[Etienne · Rating 1 out of 5]

So much non sense and unentertaining story. The absurdity of it can be a bit funny, but that's is far away from being enough to justify buying this book! No!

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read with some lovely images.
I liked the story and gave it 4 stars

[Alexia Polasky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Owlkids Books for the Arc!
It's a short and sweet tale of two friends playing hide and seek. It leaves a nice message, although I would've liked it to be longer and and a bit more explicit as to the ending itself, given that kids may not get the main concept.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some friends are playing hide and seek, so they have some weird exchanges and a crocodile joins the game. Odd, no real plot that I could follow.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Are You, Wilbert? by Bárdur Oskarsson is a picture book about a small gray rat and her large gray friend, Wilbert. They are playing hide-and-seek. Wilbert is tough to find, so the rat asks a crocodile for help. Together, they hunt behind every tree they can see, and finally, the rat spots Wilbert. The illustrations are strange and lovely at the same time. 

While I enjoyed the book, I did find the book a bit strange and hard to follow. 

I received an ARC from Owlkids books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.