Lovey and Dovey by Elle van Lieshout, Erik van Os and Mies van Hout.

Lovey and Dovey are in love but now they are in prison for stealing a pair of blue socks.  They know they are lucky to be together, but the view in their cell leaves something to be desired.  So Dovey squeezes out between the bars and returns with a beautiful view of the sun and sea that he cut right out of the sky.  That night they can’t see the stars, so Dovey heads out again, taking the moon and stars from the sky and putting them in the cell.  Each day, Dovey heads out, returning with more items to make their cell a home.  Until they are released into the cold gray world.  Back they head, to a certain sock counter.

Lovey and Dovey may be thieves but they are full of honor.  Dovey always returns to the cell even though he has effectively escaped prison again and again.  They are both winning characters without any of the desperado about them.

The illustrations are lovely, a charming combination of soft pastels with Lovey and Dovey inked in boldly on top.  When Dovey slices the various bits from the surrounding countryside, they stay that way.  Blank holes in the world.  There is an artistic bunny who works to fill in the holes with his own art in a very different style.  The text is equal to the illustrations, effectively moving the story forward but allowing the beauty of what is being created to shine.

This book is filled with love, beauty and joy.  It is a pleasure to read aloud and though it will not fit nicely into any themed unit or story time is definitely worth sharing.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.