Upside Down - (Katarina's Small Wonders) by Katarina Macurova (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A picture book with a cute teddy bear in the main role showing us that sometimes the truth is hidden deep down and you need to be patient to get it revealed.

"How lovely it is!" rejoiced the bear, on discovering a strange plant in his garden. Every day he watered it and shielded it from the sun with a parasol, and he never forgot to say "Good night" to it before bedtime. But the plant didn't react. "Why won't you bloom?" brooded the little gardener. But little did he know what was going on underground!

Review Quotes

Selected by Reading Rockets for the Holiday Buying Guide 2022

Selected for the CBC's 2022 November Hot Off The Press Reading List

"Critique: A fun and original picture book entertainment for children ages 3-6, ""Upside Down"" by storyteller and artist Katarina Macurova is a simply delightful and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections for young readers." ―Midwest Book Review, Children's Bookwatch

"Preschool-Grade 1 A gardening bear has several beautiful flowers in his yard, but one plant stands out from the rest. It appears to be healthy but doesn't bloom like the others, though the bear gives it plenty of light, water, and shade when needed and even wishes it a "Good Night" without fail. Observant readers will notice a hole in the yard that leads to a room in the rabbit warren below, and the pictures, with their clean lines and saturated colors, show the action both above and below the yard's surface. A mustachioed rabbit, along with family and friends, is thrilled with the part of the plant that is growing underground: a bright orange carrot. As the oblivious gardener continues to tend to it, the rabbits, as usual, multiply, and they peel, gnaw, and eventually devour most of the huge vegetable. Humorous illustrations show the bunnies with their protruding tummies and well-fed stupor (the first rabbit cleans up). Children will enjoy the humor in the rabbits' antics and the bear's solution to his plant problem." --Booklist

"A small bear tends to a mysterious plant in their garden, frustrated that it won't bloom even under their excellent care. Below, a rabbit family delights in the enormous carrot that is growing within their burrow. Cartoonish illustrations make use of subtle, humorous details--the bear's carrot-patterned umbrella; a rabbit's curled mustache--and humanoid expressions in this playful story about the power of perspective." ―ForeWord

"This is such a cute book! I actually laughed out loud when I read the ending. It's so clever and fun! The illustrations are so hilarious and adorable. I love the cute bear gardener and the wild rabbits. Every page is full of color and energy, and I love that the designs are fairly simple but dramatic. What a delightful book!" ―Luminous Libro Blog

"This is an adorable little picture book that had wonderful illustrations and a great storyline. It really brings to light the fact that you have to be patient and sometimes wonderful things are hidden beneath the surface. Great moral." --Kaitlyn C., NetGalley-Librarian

"This is an adorable story. I love the story line and the authors writing style. The illustrations for the picture book are beyond cute and simple, they don't overshadow the story." ―NetGalley-Reviewer

"This book was engaging and entertaining for my students and myself. I would absolutely recommend this book for classrooms, libraries, families, or anybody who loves illustrations and silly stories!" ―NetGalley-Educator

"This parallel story will have kids following the duplicity of the tale and loving it. The illustrations show perspective and are a wonderful tool to teach the concepts of up and down, and over and under. The tale is told with humour and has a very happy ending for all the book's characters. It lends itself to be a perfect read aloud for that age group. I love the the book and highly recommend it." ―Storywraps

About the Author

Born in 1983, Katarina Macurova is an award-winning artist whose innovative work spans from graphics and illustration to 3D graphics. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia, and has won several prestigious awards, including the Communication Arts Award of Excellence in the USA. Hailing from Bratislava, Slovakia, she continues to push the boundaries of her artistry.