I almost feel like I should just put ! for the title of this 2012 picture book written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, but I guess technically the name is exclamation mark.
I picked this book up because I’m intrigued by picture books that tell their story in uncommon ways. That applies here, because the characters in this story are punctuation marks. The main character is the exclamation mark, who does not fit in with the periods around him. At first it seems like it is a physical thing: he stands out socially because of his upper half. Where the periods have just the dot, he has this thing he tries to hide or smush. However, that vertical bar is part of him, and always returns.
Then a question mark enters the story. It asks so many questions, the exclamation mark explodes with frustration, and the vertical grows and vibrates. This shows him it (and his nature) isn’t wrong, but has possibilities, and he tries it out, filling the world (and several pages) with exclamations of wonder.
He shows the periods, and they are happy to see it. He goes on through life (and the book) “to make his mark.”
The different punctuation marks have basic faces (variations on the smiley face). The illustrations use directionality, size, proximity, and, occasionally, color to make the marks engaging (among other tools).
A story about acceptance and finding your place, and a study in focus and simplicity.
