The Hole

Brain Pickings' 13 Best Children's, Illustrated, and Picture Books of 2013


"Off-the-wall (so to speak) and seriously fun, this story is one to give a child of any age for exploring and pondering."—Kirkus Reviews Blog


"With its moody line drawings, sly humor, and witty use of the hole in each page (when it’s not a hole, it’s a streetlight, balloon, nostril, etc.), Torseter’s story amuses, provokes, and leaves readers wishing for more." —Publishers Weekly


"I got [The Hole] when my daughter was just two, and we read it then and still read it now. A creature moving into a new apartment discovers a hole which keeps moving, which he can’t manage to understand or get rid of, but which he eventually accommodates as a moon, as a light. I assume every adult knows about these absences with which we have to make a measured peace." —Rivka Galchen


"This Norwegian import is an almost-wordless picture book that will surprise and delight. [...] Entirely playful and a truly wondrous look at the world, this book will have you reading it again right away." —Waking Brain Cells


"For a humorous demonstration of how a little thing can have big implications, look no further than "The Hole," by Norwegian writer and illustrator Oyvind Torseter. This stylish book has a single small hole drilled all the way through its middle, which brings readers in on the joke from the beginning... [...][a] curiously affecting story." —The Wall Street Journal


“the story of a lovable protagonist who wakes up one day and discovers a mysterious hole in his apartment, which moves and seems to have a mind of its own. Befuddled, he looks for its origin — in vain. He packs it in a box and takes it to a lab, but still no explanation.” – Brain Pickings


“This is an extraordinary book that will have kids boggled and intrigued, and adults thinking. Delectable free-form sketches and monochromatic color make it visual splendor for any reader. Wonderful stuff.” —The Kids’ Book Review

”Another gem published by Enchanted Lion Books, this may be one of may all-time-favorite books. Period. […] A tiny bit of negative space drives a story full of metaphysical questions, funny interactions, and brilliant visuals.” —Lisa Zaretsky, @playagainreads