The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

The Eyes and the Impossible

(newbery Medal Winner)

Dave Eggers

Random House Children's Books · Print & ebook · April 1, 2025

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Who it’s for
An observant canine narrator gives this illustrated story a warmly eccentric feel.
Themes
Friendship, Beauty, Liberation
Genres
Dog Stories, Magic & Fantasy, Friendship

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About this book

NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An enthralling novel for all ages by award-winning author Dave Eggers, told from the perspective of one uniquely endearing dog—featuring beautiful artwork from Caldecott honoree Shawn Harris. “Johannes is a highly engaging narrator whose exuberance and good nature run like a bright thread through the novel’s pages.” —The New York Times Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea.

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His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison. His friends—a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican—work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure the Equilibrium is in balance. But changes are afoot. More humans arrive in the park. A new building, containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles, goes up. And then there are the goats—an actual boatload of goats—who appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johannes’s view of the world. Lushly illustrated with old world paintings and new artwork from Caldecott honoree Shawn Harris, this story about friendship, beauty, liberation (and running very, very fast), will make readers of all ages see the world around them in a wholly new way.

A Dog’s-Eye View

An observant canine narrator gives this illustrated story a warmly eccentric feel.

Come here for

  • A free dog’s view of park life
  • Old-world paintings alongside new artwork by Shawn Harris

Expect

  • An exuberant, good-natured narrator
  • Friendship, beauty, and liberation in a richly illustrated story

Where it sits

Dog Stories76%
Friendship76%
Magic & Fantasy66%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Action & Adventure
  • Dog Stories
  • Friendship
Authors
Dave Eggers
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
April 1, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Friendship · Beauty · Liberation
Reading lane
Action & Adventure