Yesterday I read Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.



Does it borrow its titling style from Tale of Desperaux? Yes. And the main characters are talking toys -- three highly animated inanimate objects who belong to the Little Girl. In fact, it's not until the second story in the book that you find out what sort of toy Plastic actually is.

Did I say "second story?" Yes, I did. This book is organized into six "chapters" that are actually interlocked, independent stories featuring the same characters. Within each chapter there are scene divisions that are akin to short chapters themselves, readily demarcating places where a young reader going this book alone could stop for the night. But more than anything, this book would make a Most Excellent Story Book for Reading Aloud at Bedtime, particularly with the lovely separate stories and the clearly marked potential stopping points.

The three main characters are a stuffed stingray named StingRay, a stuffed buffalo named Lumphy, and Plastic, a toy that is named Plastic, but who turns out to fit another specific category as well. But hey, no spoilers here. Stingray is an amusing know-it-all who doesn't necessarily have her facts straight. She's fond of lengthy explanations, as in this one from the sixth story:

"You're not a grown-up until you're at least eight. When you're eight, you can drive a limousine," StingRay explains,
"and you brush your teeth without being reminded,
and you can read all the words in the dictionary, no matter how long.
You have lots of money to buy all the chocolate you want,
and poofy dresses and cool soccer shoes,
plus anything blue that strikes your fancy.
But not when you're seven."

Lumphy is more practical and down to earth. He's also more energetic than StingRay most of the time, but gets an upset tummy when he's nervous about things like being "In the Backpack, Where It Is Very Dark" (first story) or "The Terrifying Bigness of the Washing Machine" (story three). Plastic is a generally happy soul who likes to hum, but she has her moments of doubt, as when she cannot figure out what, precisely, she is in "The Serious Problem of Plastic-Ness" (story two), to say nothing of her encounter with "The Possible Shark". Fortunately, there is the kind and wise TucTuc (a yellow bath towel) to offer guidance, and a sometimes helpful one-eared sheep, who is as likely to help because she wants to graze as for any other reason. And then there's the generosity of Frank, but I'll say no more about him here.

A sweet, gentle book full of rollicking adventures and hijinks. These are characters you'll want to cozy up with more than once. I predict you'll be glad you did.