The Eyes and the impossible

by dave eggers

ILLUSTRATED BY SHAWN HARRIS

The Eyes and the Impossible is the story of a dog named Johannes. Johannes is a free dog, a fast dog—such a fast dog! He lives in an urban park by the sea, and every day, he runs through the park, seeing all, missing nothing, and reporting what he sees to the park’s three ancient Bison, the Keepers of the Equilibrium. But the Equilibrium has been disrupted.

Mysterious rectangles are hypnotizing Johannes, humans are erecting a strange new building, and an entirely new kind of animal has arrived in the park—and there are hundreds of them. Johannes must run faster, see better, and ultimately do more than run and see—he must liberate those he loves.

Gorgeously illustrated throughout by Shawn Harris (author of Have You Ever Seen A Flower? and illustrator of Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, among many others)—Dave Eggers’s The Eyes and the Impossible is a lyrical, soulful book full of wit and passion—a timeless story for readers of all ages.

Praise for The Eyes and the Impossible

“A warm, comedic tale of interspecies friendship. Johannes is a highly engaging narrator whose exuberance and good nature run like a bright thread through the novel’s pages. It is in the way Johannes speaks about his greatest passion that Eggers shows he has done the imaginative work required to bring us closer to an animal perspective. There is a deeper story here, too, about being yourself and finding freedom. It is hinted at in the natural beauty of the deluxe version of the book, with its solid-wood front and back covers, and in Shawn Harris’s sublime illustrations. Harris places Johannes in classical landscape paintings, running free, demonstrating an appeal that is wilder and more profound than mere canine charm. We need brave, big stories like these, stories that help children (and adults) find their place in a sometimes frightening world.”
—Nicola Davies, New York Times Book Review

“Immerse yourself in this novel, and let Eggers’ physical, fast-paced writing — which is at the height of its power here — carry you through his wildly inventive narrative. With gorgeous illustrations by Shawn Harris, here is a book that is truly for all ages, as only the best stories are.”
—Isaac Fitzgerald, The Today Show (author’s pick)

“[An] exuberant illustrated novel. Eggers crafts a marvelous, fully fleshed protagonist in Johannes, who is at once an ebullient braggart, a faithful and intrepid operative, and a drolly humorous reporter whose compassionate narration delivers a rousing tale of community, joyful self-reliance, and the pleasures of running very, very fast.”
—starred review, Publishers Weekly

“A work of dazzling ingenuity, powered not only by Eggers’ impressive knack for inhabiting the minds of other species, but also by the physical form of McSweeney’s deluxe, all-ages edition.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“An exhilarating, funny, frightening, mind-warping, heart-squeezing tale. Told at the speed of light. A must read. For all humans.”  
—Jon Scieszka, New York Times–bestselling author and First Inaugural National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

“So clever and engrossing and sweet. I loved it.”
—Roddy Doyle, Man Booker Prize and Irish PEN Award winner

“The Eyes and the Impossible is Exhibit A in the argument for children’s books being great literature. What a hero! What a story! What a read! Honestly, it’s one of the best novels I’ve read in years. Honestly, I wish I’d written it.”
—Annie Barrows, New York Times–bestselling author of the Ivy + Bean series

“The Eyes and the Impossible is a total delight: a heroic dog’s account of a thrilling adventure, during which a community determines, separately and together, how to live. I loved it.”
—E.B. White Award winner Maile Meloy, New York Times-bestselling author of Liars and Saints

“The Eyes and the Impossible is hilarious, bighearted, and beautifully written. If you want to know what I think, this book right here is a significant contribution to children’s literature.”
—New York Times–bestselling author Mac Barnett, three-time winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award

“What a beautiful book! What a funny book! What a wise book! Through the eyes of his proud but sensible canine hero, Dave Eggers invites readers into a place we think we know—a city park—and shows us a hidden world of bravery, loyalty, and muddle-headed ducks. I mean, come on, how can you not love a book where the raccoons declare, ‘We only bite for justice’?”
—Bruce Handy, author of Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult 

“Utterly delightful…Eggers touches on deep topics with a light hand, effortlessly building suspense and a wonderful sense of adventure. A merry reminder to face the truth about the world and ourselves with compassion, curiosity, and joy.”
—Booklist, starred review

“This beautiful book is destined to be a classic.”
—Buffalo News

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