Adventures Abound in Matilda Turnip's Endless Belly Button

It's been said that Hugo Reyes, LOST's compassionate, "dude"-spouting, Star Wars-loving millionaire, is the heart of the series. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that Jorge Garcia, the actor who portrays him, is the heart of its fandom. Certainly, of those directly involved with the show, he boasts a visibility and accessibility to which only head writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse can compare. Because of his blog, many fans became well acquainted with Bethany Shady, his delightfully zany girlfriend, who has her own blog and who, for LOST's final season, co-hosted a weekly podcast with him.

After listening to her funny, insightful observations week after week, I knew I would have to purchase her picture book, Matilda Turnip's Endless Belly Button. It didn't hurt that the title alone made me giggle, especially when paired up with illustrator Joshua Peters' vibrant cover.

When I hear the name Matilda, my thoughts first turn to Roald Dahl's lonely, precocious youngster, whose brainpower is such that she is able to accomplish telekinesis. Like the unfortunate Matilda Wormwood, Matilda Turnip lives in an oppressive home environment and discovers that she possesses an unusual gift: a peculiar belly button capable of leading her on a series of strange adventures.

She leaves behind her neglectful mother, who naps constantly under the gaze of the portrait of Matilda's dearly departed father, and embarks upon a journey with Rourke, the spotted mouse who is her constant companion. Rather like the castaways on LOST, she is propelled forward on a quest whose purpose she doesn't understand and whose destination is unclear. But whenever her itchy belly button produces the next step in the process - the string on a giant yoyo, the sail of a mighty ship - she embraces the new challenges that ensue.

Peters' illustrations are quite endearing, especially his depictions of dimpled, freckly, wild-haired Matilda. Each of the characters springs to life under his pen. I especially like the grizzled old man who accompanies her on a high seas trek and Earp, the tall, majestic fellow she meets during the final portion of her adventure. Throughout most of the book, the illustrations take up the entire page, though some are smaller and set apart from the page with a thick outline.

Shady tells her tale in rhyme, and while the scansion isn't always perfect, the book reads like a lilting bedtime story, full of the sorts of elements a young child might ask a parent to include. I find myself reminded of the Irish Rovers song Stop, Look, Listen, which refers to "tales to warm your mind" involving such characters as gypsy kings, flying horses and singing orangutans. Here, we get carousing sea creatures, bushes made of cake and a mysterious totem pole.

One might argue that Matilda has a rather passive role in the proceedings, but she always has the option of ignoring that odd itching, and instead she chooses to follow its whims and make the best of whatever happens next. And what does she find when her belly button itches for the final time? A fitting close to her exhausting but exhilarating experience.

This is the first book Shady has published; I trust it will not be the last. If she continues to work with Peters, so much the better, since his imaginative pictures complement her verse so well. For now, Matilda Turnip's Endless Belly Button comes recommended for any child who's fond of dreaming big - as big as a certain actor who, in a blurb on the back, notes, "This book is awesome!" I am inclined to agree.