For anyone who may remember the iconic Harold and the Purple Crayon, this is a re-imagined wordless version in full color. Wordless books draw children into a thousand different versions of a story illustrated on the pages. A child can enjoy a wordless book on their own because they are not "missing out" on any words they cannot pronounce. Instead they are creating the story as they go. Having a caring "reader" to help guide discussion or ask a child what they think is happening is an excellent way to bond and reinforce oral language skills.

The opening shows a young girl leaving an art store with a pencil in hand. And how she uses that pencil is pure magic. Children will eagerly anticipate what comes next. There are so many beautiful details to explore visually. Children can imagine what came before the story began and what might happen after the book ends. There are elements of "I Spy" in the book with animals peeking out of a forest and I love the ending that defies logic. While whithin the pages of Pencil, a child's imagination and sense of wonder will be awakened. Older children will enjoy grabbing their own pencil and trying to copy the illustrations, making this a wonderful art study as well.

I highly recommend wordless books as a way to encourage children to narrate their own story and perhaps be inspired to create their own wordless books. I highly recommend Pencil for every public, school, or home library. This would make a fabulous gift in combination with colored pencils and a sketchbook--for those blank pages are the invitation to create another story!

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Pencil from Astra Publishing House through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Imaginative illustrations tell a wordless and wondrous story about where an everyday object came from, and what it might give back. This one leaves us lots to ponder.

Gorgeous illustrations, telling a lovely story of rebirth and growth. I love that there's information at the end about how to read a silent book, too!

Some books don't need words. This is one of them. This thought-provoking reflective book about the life of a pencil and the circle of life is powerful and perfect for a classroom setting.

Always astounded by the potency and vibrancy of a wordless picture book. This one benefits from a lovely set of instructions/guiding questions at the end that I will purchase the book for and use in my classroom. Illustrations are gorgeous as we follow the main character through sharpening her pencil and creating a beautiful world in art!! Have pre-ordered!!

A wordless picture book on the journey of a tree that becomes a pencil. The artwork is detailed and draws you in. I loved the birds from the forest and the creative coloring choices. The story is open to interpretation and leaves the reader reflecting on the world around them. Love the insights into reading a wordless picture book at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Astra Publishing House for providing me with a digital ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Pencil is a beautifully illustrated picture book, from the pencil shavings turning into leaves through pages of trees and factories, it is gorgeous. Each wordless page will spark the imagination of any child reading it to create their own story.

The cover's vibrant colors and distinctive art style immediately captivated me. It's remarkable how such a simple subject—the creation of a pencil—can be conveyed so beautifully and completely without a single word.

This book possesses a rare ability to engage readers of all ages. Young children will be sparked with curiosity, while older readers and adults can simply appreciate the exquisite visual narrative.

Thank you for sharing this lovely book with us. It's truly perfect as it is.

Without a single word, this picture book traces a pencil from the forest to an artist drawing a picture of a forest with colored pencils. Sounds simple, but Hye-Eun Kim’s detailed pencil illustrations speak a thousand words. There’s even instructions for how to read a “silent book.” Five stars, for sure.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Astra Publishing House and TOON Books in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read a silent story in such a long time. If you choose to read this one, there's a beautiful guide at the end on how to read a silent book - I would read this first with my family or a class. There's even a challenge on how a book could be made with other everyday used items which I think would be an incredibly powerful assignment to do with students. I think the illustrations in this book are incredibly gorgeous and make a powerful statement.

This story follows the story of a pencil from how its made to how it can be recycled back into nature. The pencil drawings are incredible. I cannot describe it here in any sort of way that would do it justice.

If you LOVE picture books, trees and colored pencils, this is the picture book for you! If you are looking for something new and creative to do in the classroom, this would pair really well with the book with no pictures to make a fun lesson on both styles.