Once upon a Line

Gr 1–4—The cover asks, "Where do stories come from? How do ideas begin?" and the title answers, "Once upon a line." The book begins with a Harris Burdick-like framing device describing a folder of pictures found inside an old steamer trunk. Readers are invited to take the paintings and a humorous beginning line to develop original stories. Unlike Van Allsburg's mysterious, moody illustrations, Edwards's are more fanciful. Rendered in watercolor, pencil, and gouache, most of the pictures depict animals in strange situations. Many of the images are visual jokes, such as a chicken chasing an egg with legs, accompanied by the text "Once upon a line, there was a great race. No one knew who would come first until the fluffy one began to…." Each full-page illustration is boxed by a white border on three, not four, sides, leaving even the pictures open-ended. By themselves, the funny pictures will amuse readers; going further, the situations should inspire creative writing. Edwards adds a puzzle element by hiding the same drawn line in each picture. An answer key is included at the end of the book.