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The Eyes and the Impossible
The Eyes and the Impossible | Dave Eggers
16 posts | 12 read | 14 to read
From the award-winning author of The Every and the illustrator behind the beloved picture book Her Right Foot comes an endearing and beautifully illustrated story of a dog who unwittingly becomes a hero to a park full of animals. Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyesto see everything that happens within the park and report back to the parks elders, three ancient Bison. His friendsa seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelicanwork with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure the Equilibrium is in balance. But changes are afoot. More humans, including Trouble Travelers, arrive in the park. A new building, containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles, goes up. And then there are the goatsan actual boatload of goatswho appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johanness view of the world. A story about friendship, beauty, liberation, and running very, very fast, The Eyes & the Impossible will make readers of all ages see the world around them in a wholly new way.
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Allthebookclubs
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Pickpick

I‘m working my way through the Heartland List, for a literacy conference later this year. A fun middle grade book told by a dog who is hilarious and gives the best descriptions. “The ducks know nothing.”Book #69 in 2024

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BiblioLitten
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Pickpick

A delightful tale narrated by a dog. A tale for all ages. I love the modified paintings! 💚🐶

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Robotswithpersonality
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Mehso-so

Oof. Whiplash from the tone shifts. That I thought this was a picture book by Dave Eggers, and it's actually a short novel that reads more like older middle grade, and the few images are actually famous landscapes that another artist has painted a dog into, is on me. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? That it vacillates between appreciably primitive in rejoicing in sensation and surroundings as one might expect from a dog POV, to having a staggering but not total knowledge of human world concerns, to what might be considered standard middle grade moral fare (help others, don't be selfish, death is a thing, leaving is something you'll probably have to do at some point, there are truths you'll learn before you're ready), 5mo
Robotswithpersonality 3/? to the comical antics of animals trying to navigate the constructs of humanity, to the everyday cruelties inherent in wildlife living in close proximity to how humanity wants to structure the world, to some underlying theme about art appreciation that kinda got lost. 5mo
Robotswithpersonality 4/4 I think I can sum it up by saying I was a lot more tense than I ever want to be for a book in this age group. I should know by now that if it has a Newbery medal and an animal on the front cover chances are it will be fraught, but this is suppose to be my palate cleanser dammit! The goats were truly the GOAT, but overall that was ALOT. (edited) 5mo
7 likes3 comments
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Robotswithpersonality
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Today's 'scratched my brain just right' phrase.

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Robotswithpersonality
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“...the Sun only wants you to bask...“😌🌞☀️

5 likes1 stack add
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sblbooks
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I've seen this one all over booktube. Hopefully, I'll get to it soon. @Karisimo #middlegradeMonday

Karisimo @sblbooks this was my favorite middle grade book for 2023! (edited) 6mo
37 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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BennettBookworm
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🦎Iambic Pentameter: relates to Shakespeare - Family Family, Laurie Frankel
🦎Grammatica: multiple authors - True Love Experiment, Christina Lauren
🦎Dobby: prominent animal character - The Eyes & the Impossible, Dave Eggers
🦎Expecto Patronum: happily ever after - With Love, from Cold World, Alicia Thompson
🦎Greenhouse: character with plant name - Slip, Marika McCoola & Aatmaja Pandya
🦎Polyjuice Potion: impersonator - The Appeal, Janice Hallett

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BennettBookworm
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Pickpick

If this isn‘t the most gorgeous book inside and out that I‘ve ever read, I don‘t know WHAT is! Full of heart and humor, this story told from a dog‘s perspective is one that will stay with you forever. As a teacher, I instinctively imagined how I would read this aloud to a group of kids, because it would be so perfect for any mid-upper elementary classroom. A perfect blend of realistic and fantastical.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love it 😍 7mo
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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

This 2024 Newbery-award-winner tells the story of a dog who is friends with bison, a seagull, and other creatures in an island park. I‘ve recently read two others from the POV of an animal (Pax and Open Throat), but I loved how this one leaned heavy on a buddy comedy vibe, working in a heist and a deep, abiding friendship between the animals. I liked it much more than I thought I would and the audio, performed by Ethan Hawk) was such fun.

25 likes2 stack adds
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Twocougs
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Pickpick

One on the most beautiful stories I have read in ages! They say this a book for 8-12 year olds but I disagree this book is written for everyone. Hopeful, kind, courageous, it‘s a wonderful reminder of joy. 🥰

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MeganAnn
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Pickpick

Another fantastic #auldlangspine title from @Karisimo

This is a middle grade novel that felt like a modern classic. It‘s about Johannes, a dog who lives in the park by the sea. He is the Eyes, sees everything going on and reports to the ancient bison who then decide what to do about it. There are also other animals in the park who are his assistants and friends, who each have their own well fleshed out personalities I found delightful. 👇🏻

MeganAnn I loved Johannes and his animal friends and I couldn‘t put this one down. I also really loved the paintings included in the book. These are old landscape paintings from long dead artists (all listed in the back of the book) and the illustrator has added Johannes to each of them in a way that feels like he was always there. It‘s a brilliant addition that really works well with the story and enhances the tone throughout. This one is a new favorite! 9mo
Karisimo It won the Newbery award, just announced yesterday!!! 9mo
MeganAnn @Karisimo that‘s awesome! 🎉 9mo
monalyisha Need to read this stat! 9mo
MeganAnn @monalyisha you do!! I think it‘s one you will really enjoy as well. 😉 9mo
52 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Karisimo
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I love my middle grade dystopian stories but surprisingly an animal story came out on top this year!

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Eggs
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Pickpick

A most unusual and delightful tale with startlingly beautiful art. Johannes is a dog who lives a life of freedom in a huge, beautiful park near the ocean. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park‘s elders, three ancient Bison; with help from his friends: the squirrels, raccoons, seagulls, and pelicans.

#SummerEndReadathon Day 29
#20in4Readathon Day 1
#RushAThon

TheSpineView Fantastic!🤩📖📚 12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
AnnCrystal Oh, that sounds like an incredible story 📘😃👍. 12mo
See All 12 Comments
Eggs @TheSpineView 🤗🧡🥰 12mo
Eggs @DieAReader 🩷💕 12mo
Eggs @AnnCrystal It is wonderful🥰 12mo
Gissy Sounds like an adorable adventure😀Your plant looks so pretty, it gives you a nice touch to that cover 💚 12mo
TheSpineView Great job! 12mo
Eggs @Gissy Thanks so much 💕💕 12mo
Eggs @TheSpineView 💕💕 12mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 12mo
Eggs @Andrew65 🙏🏻🙏🏻 12mo
63 likes1 stack add12 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#IdiomInsight Day 14: There is a #CryWolf aspect to the book cover although it appears like this one is a dog. 😭🤣🥹 Recent book haul. Review is forthcoming.

Eggs Great cover! 13mo
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DogMomIrene
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Pickpick

Shocked that this is the same author who wrote The Circle, which I really didn‘t like…at all. Middle grade animal book that gives all the feels. Johannes, a free dog, and his park animal friends will entertain readers of all ages. The illustrations are paintings where Johannes has been added, so they‘re just a beautiful addition to the story.

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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

What a beautiful and unique book! It has a wooden cover with cutouts, and these beautiful illustrations, which are very old masterpieces that have been slightly altered to add the main character, Johannes, a wild dog.

A middle grade novel from the point of view of Johannes, who lives in a huge park and is friends with lots of different species of animals. His greatest joy is running and being free. I loved it.

Soubhiville CW- animal death, suicide (handled gently, neither at the hands of humans) 1y
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1y
Hooked_on_books Eggers seems to me to be a really interesting guy. He clearly doesn‘t want to be pigeonholed into one genre, trying out so many things. And I love the woodcut cover! I know he has his own small press publishing company, so I‘m guessing they put this out. 1y
Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books Ah, I bet you‘re right. It‘s published by McSweeny‘s of San Francisco. I have only read The Circle by him before this, which I liked. This was completely different. 1y
68 likes2 stack adds4 comments