The Ant and the Magician

“In Wimsett’s picture book, an ant uses her wits to dissuade a mighty magician from raking the land with magical winds.

Tarat, a white-bearded, purple-robed magician, lives alone in a castle near a lush mountain valley. He farms the land, commanding the winds to plow, plant, weed, and harvest. The fields’ animals aren’t pleased by the constant, buffeting breezes; they hold a meeting but can’t think of any solution—until Amanda the Ant volunteers to stop Tarat. The others are skeptical, as Amanda lacks Fred Fox’s teeth, Rachael Rabbit’s claws, or Betty Bee’s sting. How could someone so tiny make a difference? Yet, by whispering in Tarat’s ear at night, Amanda uses the power of suggestion to bring about change. Like all good fables, Amanda’s tale functions both as an entertaining narrative and as a salient lesson, showing that even the smallest voice of reason can influence the powerful. Wimsett tells the story in straightforward, non-rhyming prose, superimposed on airbrushed bubbles upon Fouchard’s full-page drawings. The artist, who also collaborated with Wimsett on Santa is a Cat (2025), supplies beautifully textured full-color images, which are particularly resplendent in their renderings of animal fur and fabrics.

A bright, breezy, and vibrantly illustrated tale of brains over brawn.”

— Kirkus Reviews