The Liszts

The book is very beautiful and interesting. Illustrations are a-la art-deco and very detailed, you can feel the house atmosphere and moods. My 3 yo and me like to scrutinize details like what is on the wall, where are the flowers, what is a pattern on the pillow, etc. The characters are funny and authentic. She also asks to read in roles and pretends to be the Visitor, saying, 'I'm here', and I should read the answer. So, we truly enjoy this book!

This seemed to me to be a different kind of story. Lists are not something you read about in children's books every day. I found the story and illustrations delightfully quirky.

The art is stunningly beautiful. The text is amusing, but (sadly for me) it has nothing to do with THE Liszt of glorious music.

Great illustrations and somewhat short yet weirdly cute story!

Tears on the edge of the book cover. Otherwise one of the favorite illustrators.

Just in love

I think I am just not clever or artsy enough to fully enjoy this book. The illustrations are great, both fun and interesting, and definitely the best part of this book. I can get that the message of this book is to be careful not to become so regimented and dogmatic that you miss the unexpected. Ok, I can understand that but who is this unexpected, unlisted stranger exactly? Is he just a metaphor for unanswerable questions, for the ambiguity of life that cannot be adequately addressed by the concrete form of a list? Is he just a figment of the middle son's imagination; his attempt to bond with his disconnected family by doing chores from his dad's dreaded chore list or a haircut from his sister's list? I am just not sure. Why did the stranger have balloons with him that he continued to carry even after the helium dissipated? So many questions. This book made me feel like the only one left out of some inside joke, you know, one you are just not cool enough to understand.We checked this out of the library but really just one reading was enough for us. This might be a book enjoyed more if discussed over a glass of wine with a bunch of children's literature experts. Unfortunately, that sentiment is not helpful when reading this with your 7-year-old.

'The Liszts' by Kyo Maclear with art by Julia Sarda is about a most unusual family. It's a good story, but the art is amazing!The Liszts are a family that makes lists. They make ordinary lists (soccer players, dreaded chores, etc.) and unusual lists (ghastly illnesses and fearsome enemies). Their lists fill the house, and fill their lives. Until one day, a mysterious visitor comes into their house through the unlocked front door and into their lives.The subtle lesson of the book is that it's okay to make plans, but it's good to leave room for the unexpected. The art is perfect for a rainy October day. The characters tend toward the gloomy (think Addams Family perhaps), but there is enough color to keep things lively. The visitor who shows up seems a little creepy at first, especially because the middle child befriends him, but he turns out to be harmless, and I realize that is the fear that gets put upon us over strangers and children. I really liked this picture book and it's amazing illustrations.I received a review copy of this ebook from Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

i like it

Great book, great service

Ho acquistato il libro perché sono appassionata di illustrazione e mi sono innamorata dello stile di Julia Sarda dopo aver visto i suoi lavori online. Questo è probabilmente il più bel pezzo nella mia collezione di libri illustrati per l'infanzia. Le illustrazioni sono accattivanti e bellissime, sia per gli occhi dell'adulto osservatore che per quelli dei bambini, che ameranno sicuramente l'atmosfera del libro, a metà tra la famiglia Addams e un film di Wes Anderson. Raccomandato.

Preso per collezionare i libri magnifici illustrati da Julis Sardà si é rivelata essere una storia carina di una famiglia stile wes Anderson. Il formato é alto e stretto e lo consiglio a chiunque. È in Lingua inglese.

Very hipster-ish, WesAnderson-ish and cool