In My Valley , Claude Ponti leads us on a journey through an enchanted world inhabited by "Touims" (tiny, adorable, monkey-like creatures), secret tree dwellings, flying buildings, and sad giants. Clever language and beautifully detailed maps of imaginary landscapes will delight children and adults alike. Ponti himself has said, "My stories are like fairytales, always situated in the marvelous, speaking to the interior life and emotions of children. That way each child can get what they want out of the images: the characters and dreams are their own." PreS-Gr 2—A rare English-language translation brings Ponti, a beloved children's book creator in France, to American audiences for the first time since Chick and Chickie Play All Day. The shelf-defeating trim size allows ample space for Ponti's retro illustrations and whimsical style as he introduces the Twims, round-faced rodentlike creatures with large families and extensive free time. The book contains no narrative arc but dips in and out of the geographic territory, lifestyle, and traditions of the verdant valley's cutesy denizens. Each spread offers a new aspect of the Twims' experience—some thoughtful, some twee, and almost all designed to appeal to lovers of coziness and domestic details. A tour of the central family's House Tree, for example, provides a cutaway reminiscent of the art in Jill Barklem's "Brambly Hedge," with a dash of absurdism as the elevation reveals a trapeze room and a swimming pool among the winter storerooms and open hearths. The vignettes shift from playful (a vast game of wind-borne "telephone") to contemplative (a gorgeous panorama from atop a solitary staircase) to bizarre (a flying apartment building shedding Twims); the scattershot nature of the book invites readers to pore over the detailed illustrations and immerse themselves in the fanciful mythology. VERDICT This oversize album—too precious for some—feels timeless and peculiarly original. The art alone is worth a visit to the Twims' lush valley.—Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Library, NY "A mix of comical vignettes and broad vistas illustrate an account of the lives and misadventures of a clan of tiny Twims.... Action with immersive, full-page or larger land- and seascapes that seem to go on forever while offering multitudinous crags, glades and foreground features to investigate. Like Poochie-Blue, visitors to the valley will be in no hurry to leave." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Ponti’s beautiful, intricate illustrations contain strange details hinting at larger stories. The guileless narrative sounds like it came directly from the brain of a child with a vivid imagination, and fanciful kids drawn by the enchanting artwork might find their own imaginations sparked by this odd, playful French import." --Sarah Hunter, Booklist "Claude Ponti's gorgeous, deliciously oversized French picture book My Valley may feel to adults like one of those childhood favorites whose illustrations are forever etched in their minds. . . My Valley is firstly elaborate world-building; its real storytelling lies in distinct vignettes. . . A wonder." --Karin Snelson, Shelf Awareness "Ponti’s dreamy paintings of towering trees and distant hills are worth lingering over. . . Fans of immersive fantasy worlds will feel that they have discovered a treasure." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) " My Valley is wonderfully large...as it needs to be to offer a world of vast spaces.  It’s certainly big enough for a grandfather and grandson to hide behind. Ponti illustrates his own work, and while he can zoom in for the close detail, such as the eye of a curious giant, he’s equally good with a broad panorama.  My Valley is filled with many full and detailed pages of the Blue Valley’s landscape, representing all four seasons.  They’re an invitation to pause, regard the view, and get to know the world of the Twims as if you had their eyes, and as if you were their size." --Philip Graham, The Millions "The world Mr. Ponti has created... is one that I will be devouring for a long time... Truly, the sheer scope of this book is awe-inspiring...  As a budding illustrator or artist, I would have lived in this book as a child, right alongside the Twims." --Elizabeth Dulemba "Imagine the sweeping vistas of Maxfield Parrish coupled with a world so snug and cozy a hobbit would be jealous and you’ve got yourself a book that outright refuses to cater to our preconceived notions of what a picture book should be. Lush and lovely, cuddly and warm, this is one uncanny valley you may never wish to leave. . . when a book like My Valley comes along, surely it’s too good an opportunity to pass up. . . awe-inspiring. . . A jaw-dropper make comfortable for the younger set. Worth discovering." --Elizabeth Bird, Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system; former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library " My Valley marks a particularly exciting addition to