The Ear

The story of The Ear is a narrative for a double audience, both the child and the adult reader. Before the story begins, there is an illustration of a man who looks a lot like Vincent van Gogh after he has cut off his ear. The story then begins with the ear waking up all alone. She no longer knows who she is anymore without the head. But with the help of a frog, an elephant, and a hare, the ear becomes the best listener in the land. When an evil spider appears and begins to whisper nasty things to the ear, her new friends come to her rescue from the spider’s web.

Piret Raud’s illustrations are as surreal as his text and beautifully detailed. Raud’s book has a positive message about discovering one’s identity and the importance of being a good listener. After all, her new friends save her from the spider in the end. Only the adult reader will connect the story with van Gogh and his ear’s gruesome fate. For those readers who love quirky picture books with a dual address, The Ear is a fun book for both children and adults.