Calamity Chick

Moves Away!

Children - Animals
36 Pages
Reviewed on 01/15/2015
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Author Biography

Olivier Toppin is a Photographer born in 1974 in Provence, France. He opened his photographic studio in 2005, carries photographs and mock up for catalogs and art books and has written several cookbooks, including «The Garden of Paradise,» «Feast Buffets.» In 2010, he photographs «The Adventures of Benjamin & Bumper», a children's book that allows him to sublimate the light that is its trademark. This book obtained in 2011 a Nautilus Gold Award for the best pictures book. In 2013, he produced a new pictures books collection's with Serge Rosenzweig called "Calamity Chick".

    Book Review

Reviewed by Michelle Robertson for Readers' Favorite

Calamity Chick is moving to a house in the countryside. He packs up all his belongings and begins the trip to his new home. Along the way a few misfortunes (or calamities) happen to him, but in the end he picks his head up and moves forward. Calamity finally makes it to his new home, and begins unpacking his belongings while in deep thought about his dream to fly one day. As he ponders the different ways he could possibly make himself fly, he hears a noise outside and can't resist his curiosity. What will Calamity Chick discover when he ventures outside? Come find out!

Calamity Chick: Moves Away! by Olivier Toppin is an impressive and uniquely designed children's picture book which not only introduces young readers to the concepts of magic, friendship, and determination, but to the art of photography design as well. Author and photographer Olivier Toppin, along with Serge Rosenzweig who masters in art direction, have together created a masterpiece filled with a charming story plot, exciting characters, and photography that is divine. Each photograph is vibrant and explosive with color, imaginative prop placement, and creativity. While readers will enjoy the story plot, the photography is the main focus of this book. Each picture is fantastically designed to fit the story, with props including Calamity Chick himself, vintage items such as books, furniture, as well as other household items displayed throughout each page. Calamity Chick: Moves Away! is a pleasurable story with eye catching photographs sure to entertain young children for a long time.

Jack Magnus

Calamity Chick: Moves Away! is a children's animal story written, designed and photographed by Olivier Toppin and Serge Rosenzweig. Calamity Chick is moving, and it's quite a big job. The chick has all his belongings packed and he brings them to his new home. His little house is nestled in beautiful natural surroundings with mountains in the background. After he finishes unpacking his stuff, Calamity Chick goes out to play with his colorful ball and is confused when the ball disappears into a strange hole. Later, at night, Calamity Chick is watching the stars as he tries to go to sleep, and he hears a strange noise. He goes out into the dark and investigates.

Olivier Toppin and Serge Rosenzweig's children's animal picture book, Calamity Chick: Moves Away!, is a unique and remarkable work. The photography that makes up the visual part of the book is outstanding. There are natural landscapes interspersed with painstakingly precise and imaginative layouts of Calamity Chick moving, his home, and Molly the Mole's lair. Each one is a masterpiece filled with cunning and intricate design-work, such as Chick's lamp which is made of a thick piece of a branch, and a rough-hewn hand-made stringed instrument placed side-by-side next to a window where the nighttime sky blazes with stars. Molly's lair is shown in a series of fabulous and mouthwatering displays of candy in all shapes, kinds and sizes. This is one of those picture books that you can get lost in for hours as each picture contains so many things to look at and appreciate. Calamity Chick: Moves Away! is most highly recommended.

Alysha Allen

Meet Calamity Chick in Calamity Chick: Moves Away!, a curious creation by Oliver Toppin and Serge Rosenzweig. Calamity Chick frequently encounters trouble despite innocuous intentions. Fortunately Calamity Chick always seems to have a knack for making the best out of unfavorable situations. When Calamity moves into his new home, he accidentally drops all of his belongings but nevertheless manages to make his ramshackle home in the countryside cozy and quaint. And as the hapless chick bathes in a cool pond by his new home, he dreams that he too will one day be able to fly into the sky like the bubbles that rise from the water around him. Our small, fluffy chick has great aspirations, but can only achieve them with the help of a peculiar, candy-making mole he meets when he happens to fall into an underground hole. While there, Calamity must rely on the mole's ingenuity to rescue him from his sizable misfortune this time.

Olivier Toppin and Serge Rosenzweig's photographs are stunningly attentive to detail, magnifying and uncovering a microscopic world for a beginning reader's ceaseless wonderment. Calamity Chick: Moves Away! is filled with vibrant and eye-catching color and, like the I SPY book series, is shot with remarkable artistry and meticulous craftsmanship. Indeed, Toppin and Rosenzweig make entering Calamity Chick's microcosm a realistic yet fantastical escape for all ages. There are a few narrative gaps, but that only minutely affects the plot line's continuity. The text is minimal yet effectively accompanies the pictures. Most importantly, Calamity Chick reveals that from a disagreeable event our dreams can begin to take flight. Certainly, it will be imperative to look out for the future work of these up-and-coming children's authors.