I have a mixed feeling about this collection. Some of the pictures are wonderful, sparks imagination, and some of other pictures are giving me chills, too surreal, and yet too real, feels like the nightmare coming true. I guess that also shows a powerful side of this book.

A quirky fun book that invites your imagination out to play - the pages offer up simple "what ifs" vibrantly illustrated (sometimes more than meets the eye at first glance). Whether you simply giggle over the creative possibilities or use the ideas to spark your own, kids and adults alike will enjoy a fantastical flip through theses pages.

I just reviewed If... by Sarah Perry. #If #NetGalley

Opening the book, I had no clue what would be inside. A picture book? Nicely drawn images? But actually the author promotes imagination of something different, and makes us create stories of the unknown.

Twenty-five years after its original publication, If by Sarah Perry still holds up. The perfect book to read to young children to begin a conversation about what could be.

Review of eBook

Imagination takes flight in the pages of this stunning book. Over a two-page spread, twenty-two different “what if” fantastical suppositions are matched with a full-page illustration. What if: cats could fly . . . dogs were mountains . . . music could be held . . . whales lived in outer space . . . the moon were square?

But the colorful watercolor illustrations reveal even more. What can you discover? And what is your own “What if” idea?

Although intended for young readers ages four through seven, this magical picture book, a twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the original publication, is sure to delight readers of all ages. Two new “what ifs” have been added for this edition: What if turtles were magnetic . . . and What if dreams were visible . . . . And don’t miss the surprises awaiting you in the Readers Guide to the Secrets of “If . . .”

Take an imaginative journey of endless possibilities and see where this book takes you.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Getty Publications and NetGalley
#If #NetGalley

This is the 25th anniversary version of this book of which I was completely unware until I got an email about it asking if I'd like to review it. It sounded good to me, and now I'm happy that I did because this book is beautiful, and amazing, and it's lots of fun. My kids would have loved this too, when they were younger. They probably still would.

The book, some fifty pages long, asks a question and then illustrates it in gorgeous detail and bold colors. The cover illustrates one of the internal pages, which asks "What if leaves were fish," and shows a branch with some fruit and a bunch of shoaling green fish! There are pages showing slumbering dogs as foothills, butterflies as clothes, flying cats, hair made of mice, worms on wheels and dreaming meerkats. The author, in a small section at the back, invites the readers' imagination to run wild, using her illustrations, and combining them or making up stories about them - or dreaming up your own.

This was an amazing, sweet, fun, and wonderful book and I highly commend it.

I absolutely love this book. One of my favorites was What if teeth were toes. I love the detail in all of the pictures. The book makes me wonder what other possibilities are out there. Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This is a lovely picture book of odd things to think about. A good jumping off point for discussions after reading the book.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/if-picturebook.png" alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5577" />

Now, can't say that I have ever wondered about any of these things. I mean, puppies as hills? Fish as leaves? Music you can hold?

It makes for lovely pictures, though, and quite enjoyable. Weird, yes, but enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

If...dreams were visible, what would that look like.

Together with your imaginative children, you can experience the what ifs and go even further. The what if's gives your child possibilities that can seem endless. With colorful illustrations to guide you, you may even have your own what if's.

Thank you Getty Publications and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Five-year-olds with vivid imaginations will love this book. "If dogs were mountains," "if butterflies were clothes," "if music could be held," each idea accompanied by a wonderful illustration. An opportunity to branch out from this book and let children think creatively, outside of the box.

Very surrealistic and imaginative. This book imagines "what if...." with a myriad of items, some I really enjoyed ("What if whales lived in outer space?"), some I found rather creepy ("What if mice were hair?"). The illustrations were wonderfully rendered to go along with the "if".
Would be a great book to utilize with the study of surrealism.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is my first time seeing it. I laughed out loud, awwed, and felt sorry for that poor turtle carrying around all that stuff. And then I got to the secrets at the end, and I want to read it all over again!

I can see this book as a fantastic jumping-off point for so many things. Kids can draw their own pictures, come up with their own what-if scenarios, and write stories using the prompts in the book. I love it. So clever!

I was unfamiliar with the original book, so this was new to me. It is very abstract and unique, and I think would make a great mentor text or reading prompt!

If… was captive-iting-- a word I just made up that is a combination of ‘captivating’ and ‘inviting’ to the imagination. Sarah Perry’s illustrations were surrealist and thought provoking, and children will be inspired by the outside-the-box quality inspiration that trails after each picture ends and a new page begins.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Incredible artwork that leads the reader to imagine "what if?" This book would be a pleasure to read to children and let their imaginations take over. I can see teachers using this to guide students into their own "what if" ideas. Our library will be purchasing it to add to our creativity/imagination section.

Wow. That's what you feel when you see these illustrations.
It is a different work of art that focuses on different concept than we normally presume.
It is simple book with nano sized captions and big hearted illustrations.
Artwork is mesmerizing.
At end there is worksheet and little details for kids to interact with pictures in book.
Every kid will like it.
It is so beautifully structured .
Coffee table book which puts least stress on readers mind.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.

DISCLAIMER: In exchange for a fair and honest review, I received a digital copy of this book from NetGallery.

OH MY.... my grandchildren, at the ages of 13 and 20, are too old to want a copy of this, but rest assured, I will buy one for great-nieces, nephews, and in the DISTANT future, Great Grandchildren.

The illustrations are magical. There is a warmth to this book that simply made me smile.

My favorites "Ifs" were:

"If music could be held..."
"If ugly were beautiful..."

This gorgeous volume will stick with me for a long time as I remember the magic in everything.

This book is completely captivating. The illustrations are absolutely lovely. This is a new favorite for our family and one we'll return to again and again.

There is nothing I love more than sitting down of an evening with my children and reading them a bedtime story. They are two very different ages - 8 and 2, yet this wonderfully illustrated book help and captivated both of their imaginations! A gorgeous, thought provoking book that will stand the test of time and is a beautiful addition to any story book collection.

Thanks to #netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have the original version of If... and have read it many times to challenge children's thinking, spark their creativity and initiate wonderings.
IF is a book of surreal possibilities. It can be explored in many different ways. Use a single illustration or combine several to create your own stories. For example, "If frogs ate rainbows..." what would their croaks sound like/look like? From the front cover illustration of oranges growing on a branch of fish "leaves" to the end, each illustration is preceded by an introductory phrase such as “If butterflies were clothes, if lightning made rhinos, " while
the illustration completes the sentence on the next page.
The end of the book invites you to continue creating your own "what if..." IF takes ordinary things and invites us to create extraordinary possibilities.
Great book for showing #growthmindset.