A little old-fashioned imagination leads to extraordinary adventures in this sequel to "The Things A String Can Be. "Sam is back as he and his friends are desperately trying to enjoy the last days of winter. Sledding down their favorite hill, the three friends hit an old hubcap buried in the snow. Not knowing what a hubcap really is, they spend the day dreaming up what they think it could be—until they find where it really belongs. Sam and his friends imagine the hubcap as everything from a cymbal in a rock "n? roll band to a UFO from outer space to the helm to a ship at sea, creating a vibrant world of adventure With rhyming, repetition and bold, colorful graphics, author Julie Goulis and illustrator John Ferguson encourage children to be creative as they are captivated by Sam and his friends? wild imaginations. The adventures are journeys all kids can dream. The book opens up imaginations and helps children develop the power of their own minds. As an added bonus at the end of the book are fun and educational activity ideas that complement various scenarios from the story. The strikingly original illustrations are hand-drawn in pencil and then colorized and enhanced by computer. Lots of fine work by local authors came our way in 2005, and it’s time take a look back at the best of it? For younger readers, picture book Something Shiny, Something Round by author Julie Goulis and illustrator John Ferguson is about imagination and improvisation. -- Akron Beacon Journal Julie Goulis teams up with John Ferguson in two outstanding picture books. Both are superbly created. The Things A String Can Be and Something Shiny, Something Round are picture book springboards for young imaginations long after the books have been read. -- Midwest Book Review The easy, rhyming text definitely is meant for multiple readings. The illustrations are bold and dominate the pages they’re on. Looking closely at them, one will notice a blending of drawings and actual photographs, which is quite clever. Add this one to your child’s library. -- Rockland Review