Mole in a Black and White Hole

Mole in a Black and White Hole
By Tereza Sediva
Published by Thames and Hudson, March 2, 2021

Review
Mole in a Black and White Hole is the story of a mole who lives underground, delights in the stories of color told by a turnip hanging from his ceiling, and wishes to see the outside world.

Mole in a Black and White Hole had a mixed reception in our house. T "definitely want[ed] to read it." Afterward, he said, "I like Mole. He's nice. But I wonder why his chandelier is gone." After we looked back, he was able to answer his own question about the turnip chandelier: "Oh. It got harvested." T enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the art. The premise for me, however, was problematic. Ostensibly, Mole is dissatisfied with his fully furnished hole because he never leaves the monochrome habitation. I cannot help but wonder how he furnished the hole (television and all) without ever having left it, and why he wants color so much. He is neither a Richard Scarry-type animal living a human life, nor a sentient wild creature. He is in some nebulous intersection of having human traits and technology and lacking knowledge. Also, the talking turnip is harvested to be eaten. This type of anthropomorphism isn't my cup of tea. The bright, easy-to-read picture book was T's cup of tea.

Note: A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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