Inkling
CBC Books | | Posted: August 3, 2018 7:27 PM | Last Updated: June 4, 2020
Kenneth Oppel, illustrated by Sydney Smith
The Rylance family is stuck. Dad's got writer's block. Ethan promised to illustrate a group project at school — even though he can't draw. Sarah's still pining for a puppy. And they all miss Mom. So much more than they can say.
Enter Inkling. Inkling begins life in Mr. Rylance's sketchbook. But one night the ink of his drawings runs together — and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything.
Ethan finds him first. Inkling has absorbed a couple chapters of his math book — not good — and the story he's supposed to be illustrating for school — also not good. But Inkling's also started drawing the pictures to go with the story — which is amazing! It's just the help Ethan was looking for! Inkling helps the rest of the family too — for Sarah he's a puppy. And for Dad he's a spark of ideas for a new graphic novel. It's exactly what they all want.
It's not until Inkling goes missing that this family has to face the larger questions of what they — and Inkling — truly need. (From HarperCollins)
- 7 great book recommendations for young readers
- The best Canadian YA and children's literature of 2018
- Here are the 2020 Silver Birch Fiction Award finalists
From the book
No one was awake to see it happen, except Rickman.
He was taking one of his midnight prowls, padding past the bedrooms of sleeping people, hoping to find something interesting to eat. He was nearly always hungry. Against the wall he found a dead fly, a chocolate chip, and a small piece of red crayon, which he also ate. He was not a picky cat. At the end of the hallway, he slipped into Mr. Rylance's studio. In front of the drafting table was a chair he liked, and Rickman heaved himself up. It took two tries because he was heftier than he should have been.
From Inkling by Kenneth Oppel, illustrated by Sydney Smith ©2018. Published by HarperCollins.