"Arlo’s roller coaster of emotions will feel comfortingly familiar to anyone whose enthusiasm has ever been dampened by perfectionism. When he gets back on the proverbial horse, readers will feel relief and may themselves have learned a thing or two about not being too hard on oneself. Dramatic characters in smooth colors mix with crayon-textured embellishment for an engaging foray into Arlo’s emotional journey. Arlo never questions the sudden appearance of this marine creature in his home, adding an appealing layer of absurdity and causing readers to question what’s imagination and what’s reality. Well-written and full of fun surprises."

—Kirkus Reviews  

 

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"Clearly adept at drawing many species, Sayegh, Jr. brings his digital art to life using brilliant colors within emotionally expressive scenes. Mortensen’s story begins realistically, but with a touch of magic, it transitions into fantasy without missing a beat, while enabling Arlo to rise from discouragement to confidence to joy in his art. A playful, reassuring picture book. "

—Booklist

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