Ludwig the Space Dog by Henning Lohlein
| Ludwig the Space Dog by Henning Lohlein | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Sam Tyler
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| Summary: Use the provided three-dimensional spectacles to join Ludwig in this wonderfully drawn, but slightly dry, space adventure. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Maybe |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2016 |
| Publisher: Templar Publishing | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 9781783703890 | |
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Before there was Neil Armstrong and before there was Yuri Gagarin, there was another explorer of Space – Laika. This was no man however, but a dog. Laika was one of the first animals to explore space; the less said about her fate the better, but surely her adventures would encourage other canines to explore the great beyond? Ludwig is one such Mutt and although we may not have a rocket ship to help him with his adventures, we do have a set of 3D glasses.
Ludwig and his pals live in a world of two dimensions and books. Whilst the majority are happy with their lot, Ludwig always wanted to see more. When a traveller arrives he is given the chance of a lifetime to explore Space. With the aid of 3D Spex we, the reader, get to join Ludwig as he delves deep into the unknown.
There are books that have great stories and there are books that look amazing, not all of them do both and Ludwig the Space Dog is one such book. Lohlein is responsible for both designing this book and writing it. From the look and feel, it would seem that Lohlein is a visual master, but counting the story, perhaps he struggles a little with plot.
In terms of the visuals, Ludwig is one of the most magical children's books I have seen in a long time. Even without the 3D graphics there is a splendour to what you see. Issued in a lovely A4 hardback format on glossy full colour pages the aesthetic that Lohlein chose is wonderful. Ludwig and his pals are all made up of pages from a book and they contrast nicely with the background that is often drawn from Ludwig's imagination. On their own there would be enough here to capture the eye, but the extra element of 3D really does add to the experience.
Having a pair of 3D glasses in a book can be a real gimmick, but here Lohlein has done an excellent job of making the concept make sense within the story. The interactive elements help you to understand that Ludwig has a strong imagination. What is also essential is that this is cracking 3D; the images pop from the page and a later pull out spread is something to behold.
A child or adult could easily pick up this book and just stare at the wonderful illustrations, but the story also has to play a part. It is here that the book falls down a little as it is pretty static. The narrative of Ludwig wanting to reach space almost plays second fiddle to the 3D; as if the plot was fitted to the images. The characters look fun, but the story feels a little earnest and gives the book more of a staid feel than it should have. Perhaps something is lost a little in translation from the original German, but in a world were kids are used to seeing their aliens in underpants; reading a story about an earnest dog feels a little flat.
In a book that did not have the visual wonder of Ludwig, the dry plot would have really dented its appeal. As it is, the book is so luscious that the plot fades to the background anyway as you flip from page to page just taking it all in. Buried somewhere here is an absolute classic, but only if Lohlein had matched the plot levels to the visual levels. As it is, the book entertains, but could have been even more.
All sorts of people find themselves in Space from witches to the more usual aliens.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Ludwig the Space Dog by Henning Lohlein at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Ludwig the Space Dog by Henning Lohlein at Amazon.com.
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