Mr. Fooster is a whimsical, curiosity-laden fellow, leading a fairly ordinary life. That is, until one lazy Tuesday morning, wherein he sets off for a walk and finds himself on a series of grand adventures. Aided and abetted only by the bottle of bubble soap he is carrying, he navigates a world previously unknown to him. A world of questions (such as who figured out how to eat artichokes?), giant bugs with world eating agendas, and DeSotos that should not exist. But the ultimate question is: what will Mr. Fooster learn, about himself and about the world he lives in? And how will he use what he learns in order to help others?

This tasty little novella is a wonderful little read, easily devoured in one sitting, though it stays with you after you put the book down. Corwin has created a character in Fooster who draws the reader in and connects, though his world could not be further from our own. The search for meaning, and the absurdity that search can often bring to a person, are delineated in charming fashion, and once Fooster uses the bubble soap to blow himself an actual form of transportation… well, you’re in fable territory, and you get exactly where the author is going.

The illustrations by Frazier accompanying Corwin’s text are lovely, rendered in a style reminiscent of late 19th century and early 20th century work. But oddly enough, they also feel somewhat unnecessary. It’s a conundrum, really; the story is so strong, and written so well, that you could read the book without the pictures and still “see” it perfectly. Yet the illustrations will lure more people into buying the book when they see it on the shelves.

MR. FOOSTER is an excellent, almost musical, piece of art. I highly recommend it.

Marc Mason