Inside the Suitcase

New York Times Holiday Gift Books for Children selection.

A magical lift-the-flaps adventure—part puzzle, part fairytale—from the bestselling author and illustrator of Inside the Villains.

Away behind the hills you'll find a charming little house. Who's inside? Knock knock... A boy packing his suitcase. Lift the flaps to see what he takes, and travel with him over oceans and mountains, underwater and into the forest. With every step on this voyage of obstacles the boy faces a decision that will lead to a new adventure and help him get home. Delve deeper into each page and remember to use what's in the suitcase!

From the mischievous Clotilde Perrin comes a fairy tale full of twists and turns where the boy’s suitcase full of tricks and treasures is the key to getting him home. Curious readers young and old will love all 35 unexpected flaps that help tell the story of this interactive giftbook adventure - there’s even flaps inside flaps to discover over and over! For fans of Alice in Wonderland.

Other books by Clotilde Perrin:

Inside the Villains

The House of Madame M

“"A young traveler's red suitcase holds all sorts of useful items, including treasures found along the way. Placing images on multiple descending or overlapping layers of large, shaped flaps to enhance the ongoing thrill of discovery, Perrin invites viewers to flip through the seemingly random contents of a White, russet-haired lad's suitcase, then follow along as he travels over land and sea past a series of houses strangely similar to his own. A simple memory game ensues. Are the mountains cold? There's a sweater in the luggage. What's inside that cage? Open it with the key under the sweater. It's a mouthwatering cake! Eat it or take it along? Into the suitcase it goes, and later it becomes just the thing to distract a scary monster in a dark forest. Behind further doors, a diamond begs to be snatched up and a magic seed to be planted. Occasional glimpses of a smiling snail, a fish floating in midair, or some other small onlooker enhance the surreal feel of the neatly drawn, harmoniously tinted illustrations. By journey's end, what's left in the suitcase? Lift the flap . . . and there's nothing inside--nothing but intangible experiences and memories, that is. Footloose readers will come away understanding that packing is not an exact science, and it's always wise to leave a little room in the suitcase. From France via New Zealand, a surreal or, perhaps, metaphorical journey, rich in surprises."--Kirkus Reviews”

"Readers will delight as each flap reveals more secret flaps and the story rolls on with suspenseful cliffhangers."

"From France via New Zealand, a surreal or, perhaps, metaphorical journey, rich in surprises."

"A book of the utmost comfort and daydream-drift. I love this book so much, I wish I were the richest woman in the world and could buy a copy for anyone who needs a picture-book comfort boost."

"Little fingers will be itching to touch (Perrin's) tempting cut-outs of storybook A-frame houses, a faceted diamond and a towering mousse cake. And Perrin’s technique of embedding these paper flaps within flaps within yet more flaps creates an Alice in Wonderland sensation of journeying deep into a secret place."

Children's Holiday Gift Book Guide, New York Times 2021.

Clotilde Perrin is an illustrator and author living in Strasbourg, France. A graduate of the prestigious School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg, she has published over 30 books and is known for her intricate interactive lift-the-flaps books including the international bestseller Inside the Villains.

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