Iāve tried to track down this book periodically over the past few years with no success. I canāt remember the title or author at all. I donāt know when it was published, but I would have read this in the early 90sāand I donāt remember it seeming physically like an old book. Iām not sure if I canāt find it because itās rare (hopefully not!), or if Iām just not using the right search terms. Maybe you can help! Hereās what I remember:
Itās a richly illustrated picture book about a quirky, flamboyant man (Iām pretty sure he wears a top hat?) who moves into a drab, stuffy neighborhood where he is ostracized by the uptight parents in the community. The illustrations are somewhat stylized (maybe ā but not definitely ā collage). One day, neighborhood children, who have been warned by their parents to stay away from this oddball, accidentally break his window with a baseball. (Or maybe they just hit it into is yard… I canāt quite remember.) In any case, when they go to retrieve their ball they discover this guy to be incredibly kind and welcoming. I think he gives them some pink lemonade.
The children, their parents, their houses, and the neighborhood in general are rendered in black and white, but the inside of the strangerās house is bright and colorful. I canāt remember exactly what happens next, but I think the kids and the man become friends. When the parents find out, they are furious and forbid the children from hanging out with the man, which breaks his heart. I think the inside of his house turns black and white at that point.
But one night, the āringleaderā parentās house catches on fire, and the strange man saves the family. I think I remember a page where the text is stylized to look like smoke. And I remember an illustration of the family members jumping from the window into a tarp held by firefighters (or maybe townspeople.) This leads the community to accept the strange newcomer, and the entire town bursts into color.
For whatever reason, I cannot figure out what this book is. And it is driving me crazy! If any of this rings a bell, Iād be thrilled. Sincerest apologies for all the vague rambling. And thank you!