Review Detail

BELLA UP, UP, AND AWAY is written and illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke. Bella is a cat who lives in a lighthouse, and she loves to go and explore. She meets up with Claude and invites him to go adventuring with her, but Claude is a lazier feline than Bella, and he keeps finding cozy places to nap. Claude is whisked out onto the water as he dozes in a raft, and it’s up to Bella to save the day. Fortunately Bella is smart as well as adventurous, and she is inspired by nearby seagulls to take to the sky to help her friend. Her exuberance works against her though, and she ends up in the raft with Claude rather than rescuing him. A helpful dolphin ultimately gets the cats to shore, and Bella considers her day a success. Claude finds it exhausting and he needs a nap.

The illustrations of BELLA UP, UP, AND AWAY are the highlight of the book. With simple lines, O’Rourke conveys the cats’ charms and enhances the narrative beautifully. Bella and Claude’s adventure will capture the imagination of the book’s intended age group, and there is plenty of room for conversation surrounding the story. Equally important is the fact that the illustrations relay the story themselves so children who can’t read yet and don’t have ready access to someone who can will be able to enjoy the story through the pictures.

I highly recommend this picture book, and I hope that Bella will have many more adventures—and that Claude will have many more naps.

My thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.