humorous picture books

Let Me Finish! by Minh Lê

LET ME FINISH!
Written by Minh Lê
Illustrated by Isabel Roxas
(Disney-Hyperion, $16.99, Ages 4-8)

is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

 

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With its colorfully eye-catching and engaging cover, exhuberant endpages, and enthusiastic speech bubbles, Let Me Finish!  by Minh Lê with art by Isabel Roxas, thrums with an energy that practically propels the book into young readers’ hands.

Our unnamed protagonist is a reader extraordinaire. Sure, his over-sized red eyeglasses are one clue, but so is his broad, contented smile as he settles under a tree to enjoy his new book in peace and quiet. Alas! Three jabbering birds swoop down to chatter enthusiastically about the book’s ending, thus spoiling the surprise for our hero. He politely asks them to hold their commentary next time until he’s done, and heads home to select a different title – one he’s “been meaning to read forever.”

This time it’s a bear who pops in, revealing the ending much to the reader’s consternation. And those pesky birds are back too, chirping in with even more spoilers. “Oh no!” moans our bespectacled main character, who returns home and joyfully discovers that a new book has just been delivered to his front door. Will he finally be able to read in peace, or does someone spill the beans once again?

Let Me Finish! is a real page turner, enticing us to keep flipping and uncover what will happen next. With increasing text size and ever-bolder page spreads, this tale cleverly depicts the mounting angst of the young reader who just wants to enjoy his books. The zany menagerie of talking birds and beasts is a color-filled fantasy, unbound by rules of geography, gravity or nature. It’s a wacky, delightful dilemma for the boy, who demonstrates superhero skills and determination to finish his story.

Roxas’ vivid, softly textured images are tightly woven with Lê’s text and packed with detail. Words written with a scribbly crayon effect add greatly to the kid-appeal, as does the variety of cartoony chase spreads that never become monotonous. There’s a meta-twist or two at the end to keep young ones musing about the story within a story and invites re-reading from multiple perspectives.

You might want to read Let Me Finish! on your own, but it would certainly be a good one to share with friends. Just don’t give away the ending!

Where Obtained: I reviewed a copy of Let Me Finish! which I won in a blog giveaway and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey
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No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser

NO YETI YET
Written and illustrated by Mary Ann Fraser
(Peter Pauper Press; $16.99, Ages 4-8)

 

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It’s been the year of yeti themed books, and by far my favorite has been No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser.

As two brothers, identified by height and clothing only, stare at the snowy day outside their window, the older one announces they’re going in search of a yeti, “a shaggy white one.” Why? Well to take its picture, of course! Wouldn’t you do the same? And so begins this whimsical tale that feels like an homage to a personal fave, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Only the surprise ending in Fraser’s picture book doesn’t involve closing a door to keep the creature out. Nope! Something truly unexpected happens that’s worth turning every single delightful page for.

 

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Interior artwork from No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser, Peter Pauper Press, ©2015.

 

From the get go, Fraser’s wintry artwork with its wonderful contrasts of chilly outdoors and warm, colorful indoors, invites reading on to learn more and look for more. See the gentle way the yeti above is holding a bird in its hand (or paw, or whatever yetis have)? Readers are shown there actually is a yeti, but the humor is in the boys never seeing him. I love the image of the yeti covered in snow and the one where the kids walk right over his hiding spot. In fact, when you read No Yeti Yet, I’m sure you’ll agree that the text and illustrations work beautifully together to move the story forward.

 

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Interior artwork from No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser, Peter Pauper Press, ©2015.

 

 

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Interior artwork from No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser, Peter Pauper Press, ©2015.

 

The brothers have lots of fun throughout their quest and Fraser masterfully builds anticipation as the boys get closer to the inevitable – the yeti’s cave. Parents reading the story aloud to little ones can point out the hidden yeti or his footprints, while older children will get a kick out of spotting clues (and the yet) on their own.

 

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Interior artwork from No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser, Peter Pauper Press, ©2015.

 

Once inside the cave, the lads encounter the yeti, and quite alarmed, they flee. The yeti, now in possession of the camera, chases the two brothers all the way home. By this time you may be wondering who your kids will be rooting for because Fraser’s yeti isn’t the least bit scary, making it easy to share No Yeti Yet at bedtime, or anytime for that matter. The takeaway that looks can be deceiving is an important one and this book provides a comfortable way to start that conversation. Oh, and parents, SPOILER ALERT, you might want to have some hot cocoa on hand for when you do.

 

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

 

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Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio

EVERYONE LOVES BACON

 

Written by Kelly DiPucchio

Illustrated by Eric Wight

(Farrar, Straus Giroux BYR; $17.99, Ages 3-7)

And we’re not talking Kevin here either!

 

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I clearly remember the day I fell in love with bacon. At dinner my mother placed a heaping platter of liver and onions before us. “It’s good for you! Try one bite,” she insisted. I carefully swaddled a teeny tiny piece of liver inside the largest crispy, chewy bacon slice. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, then GULP! I was able to consume the one required bite. Bacon had saved the day! So it’s no surprise I was ready to devour Everyone Loves Bacon.

Everyone has different reasons for loving bacon, and Kelly DiPucchio’s funny tale about bacon’s universal celebrity status will be a real winner with kids. In this tasty tale, set in a shiny silver roadside diner, readers quickly learn that in addition to Egg loving Bacon, and Pancake loving Bacon, BACON loves Bacon, too! Oh sure, cranky French Toast doesn’t love Bacon, but he doesn’t love anyone. It hardly seems to bother Bacon anyway, since he has so many loyal fans!

The perks of Bacon’s popularity include posing for photos and taking center stage for singing, telling jokes, and playing ukulele. His entourage of fruits, fries, veggies and meats are always fawning over him. Bacon laps up the attention like 100% pure Vermont maple syrup. When bacon-themed accessories and knickknacks start appearing (bumper stickers, hats, t-shirts) Bacon really starts to sizzle.

DiPucchio’s text pulls no punches in stating story facts from the sublime to ridiculous about Bacon’s ego explosion. Pun-inspired balloon quotes from Bacon’s forgotten friends enhance the storyline with funny asides, capturing the personalities of the other diner foods. “Fine. Have it your way,” grumps the cheeseburger. DiPucchio nicely sets up Wight’s picture puns, and the illustrator takes full advantage of the wacky edible world to craft clever, silly anthropomorphized foods. The setting is balanced with well-rendered, slightly surrealistic details from the red and white striped drinking straws to the grains in the salt and pepper shakers.

By the time mustachioed Bacon acquires a fancy car, readers will be anticipating a funny, dramatic end. Does the book deliver? Well, everyone loves Bacon.

 

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where Obtained:  I reviewed a copy of EVERYONE LOVES BACON from the publisher and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk – Review & Giveaway

LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST
A REVIEW & GIVEAWAY
Written by Josh Funk
Illustrated by Brendan Kearney
(Sterling Children’s Books; $14.95, Ages 5-8)

 

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Before even reading it, I knew that Josh Funk’s debut picture book, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, was going to be a sweet treat, but I had no idea just how many belly laughs it would elicit. To be honest, while I may have initially favored Sir French Toast, my breakfast food partiality in no way influenced my opinion of Funk’s book whatsoever. In fact, I’m actually a von Waffle girl myself.

 

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Interior artwork from Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk with illustrations by Brendan Kearney, Sterling Children’s Books ©2015.

When word comes down from up high that “The syrup is almost completely gone!’ Miss Brie produces panic in the breakfast food buddies. Before you can say “Genuine Maple,” the good Lady P and her pal, Sir FT, are off, determined to beat the other to the last remaining drop. Funk tickles our taste buds as he takes us on an amazing race up, down, and all around the fridge in an appetizing adventure that includes pushing and shoving, plummeting and hurdling, often at breakneck pace, to reach the syrup.

“Skiing past spinach and artichoke dip,
Toast vaulted high in the air with a …
FLIP!

 

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Interior artwork from Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk with illustrations by Brendan Kearney, Sterling Children’s Books ©2015.

 

There are simply too may funny food scenes to describe, but suffice it to say Funk’s text provided Kearney with a field day for whimsical illustrations. My favorites are the bean avalanche and the surprise fold out fridge interior at the book’s end, providing your littlest foodie with a chance to closely examine all the contents shelf by shelf.

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast is not only a rollicking, rhyming read aloud full of colorful fun, but if you’re a Foley (sound effects) fan, here’s your chance to try out your PLOPS!, FLIPS! and THUMPS! to your heart’s content. There’s even an avalanche to test your mettle! Readers young and old will enjoy the wonderful twist to this tale that caught me off and pinned another huge grin on my already happy face. If this book doesn’t leave everyone completely satisfied and sunny side up, I don’t know what will!

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

WIN 1 COPY OF JOSH FUNK’S NEW BOOK!!  Plus, if you follow us on Facebook and let us know in the comments below, we’ll give you an extra entry. An additional comment on our Facebook post for this picture book gets you yet another entry. Good luck!

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Wolfie The Bunny by Ame Dyckman

WOLFIE THE BUNNY
Written by Ame Dyckman
Illustrated by Zachariah OHora
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; $17.00, Ages 3-6 )

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★Starred Reviews – Publishers Weekly, SLJ, Horn Book & Booklist

I lovc a picture book that makes me laugh out loud which is exactly what happened when I read Wolfie The Bunny. Plus, this book has got it all: humor, suspense, endearing characters, and super artwork, so it’s easy to adore.

Little Dot, the bunny, is with her parents when they find an abandoned wolf baby left on their doorstep. Dot’s parents welcome this discovery, and proceed to fall head over rabbits’ feet for sweet Wolfie despite Dot’s frantic warning, “He’s going to eat us all up!” I cracked up at OHora’s illustration of Dot, wide awake with a head lamp shining on her sleeping new baby bro. In the end pages, OHora explains that his former neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn served as inspiration for the story’s setting. Those scenes really ground this tale. Kids (and adults) will get a kick out of all the different expressions on Dot’s and Wolfie’s faces depicted throughout the book. Wolfie’s drools added an extra element of tension and I’ll admit I enjoyed not knowing where Dyckman was going with the plot. In other words, I had no trouble continuing to turn the pages. That will definitely keep younger readers glued to ythe book, too. Was the wolf going to devour Dot and her folks or would his love for his adopted family outweigh his growing appetitie? At the same time, Wolfie’s actions indicated a doting sibling:

“Everywhere Dot went,
Wolfie went, too.”

Dyckman’s included just the right amount of repetition of the line, “He’s going to eat us all up,” to keep it fresh and fun. And Dot’s parents’ admiring comments of “He’s a good eater, “He’s a good sleeper,” and “He’s a good drooler!” clearly demonstrated their unconditional love. What worked best in this tale was how Dot’s initial fear of being gobbled down disappeared when Wolfie was threatened by a bear. Stepping up to the plate as big sister, Dot defended her little brother and found that fighting for her family member’s safety brought her closer to Wolfie and dashed any fear of being on the menu for dinner.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor

HOOT OWL: MASTER OF DISGUISE

Written by Sean Taylor

Illustrated by Jean Jullien

(Candlewick Press; $15.99, Ages 3-7)

 

★Starred Review – Kirkus Reviews

Hoot-Owl-cvr.jpgI love larger-than-life characters who never let defeat get in their way. I think of Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series; there’s also the self-proclaimed genius Wile E. Coyote whose only success is consistently failing to catch his adversary. No matter how many times they fail or get rejected, these characters’ shameless ineptitude has us laughing clearly at, not with, them.

Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise uses this larger-than-life character trait in the loveable Hoot Owl who invites us to laugh right along with him. Hoot Owl’s flair for overly dramatizing his predatory skills consistently botches his ability to catch any real dinner. Even before the dedication page, we feel the suspenseful tone build up in the warning posted on page 1:  “Watch out!  I am Hoot Owl!  I am hungry. And here I come!” In his first picture book for children, Jullien, of course, eases the hearts of even the youngest reader. Hoot Owl’s egg shaped head and wide eyes peeking from the bottom corner of the page assure us no animals (illustrated or otherwise) were harmed in the making of this book.

Especially appealing in this character driven story are the similes Hoot Owl uses to describe his supposed deftness at flying through the “darkness of midnight…as quick as a shooting star…like a wolf in the air…like a knife.”  On his first attempt to catch dinner, Hoot Owl boasts of the “sharp beak” that will soon “gobbl[e] that rabbit up!” But Hoot Owl isn’t just any old owl; he is an owl of great mental prowess too. Before he closes in for the kill, he states:  “Everyone knows owls are wise. But as well as being wise, I am a master of disguise.” And so our hero disguises himself as a (not-so-convincing) carrot. The bunny’s calm smile confirms our suspicions that Hoot Owl is more likely to win an Academy Award for Best Performance Before Dinnertime than to actually catch anything to eat.  The adorably bespectacled “juicy little lamb” and mellow “trembling” pigeon are next on our predator’s supposed hit list, highlighting once more the comic disconnect between Taylor’s sensational diction and Jullien’s heartwarming illustrations.

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HOOT OWL: MASTER OF DISGUISE Written by Sean Taylor and Illustrated by Jean Jullien, Candlewick Press ©2015.

That Hoot Owl shares with us he’s in on this comedy, too, is what I find most endearing about his character.  “The shadowy night stretches away forever, as black as burnt toast,” he says using a simile so forced you know deep down he’s laughing at his own incompetence. Adults and children will be pleased and surprised at the dinner our hero finally does  catch—then back again into the “enormousness of the night” Hoot Owl glides stealthily, warning us of his return….which readers of all ages will, without a doubt, impatiently await.

 

 

 

– Reviewed by Armineh Manookian

 

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Breaking News: Bear Alert by David Biedrzycki

BREAKING NEWS: BEAR ALERT

 

BreakingNewsBearAlert book coverYou don’t have to wait long to find the action in Breaking News: Bear Alert, written and illustrated by David Biedrzycki (Charlesbridge, 2014; $17.95, Ages 4-8). It starts on the front cover.

A boy and his teddy bear are watching Our Furry Planet on television. When the host of the show accidentally awakens two hibernating bears, a breaking news report shows up on the screen. Soon the bears are having a grand time, catching a ride on a truck, eating porridge at Teddy’s Diner, and having their turn in a photo booth outside of Bare Necessities Food Mart. Their escapades are caught by the sky cam, but the bears manage to elude the police and animal control officers. While the authorities are preoccupied with the bears’ shenanigans, two sticky-fingered criminals are up to no good. When the crooks rob Paddington’s department store, they’re caught on sky cam. They might have pulled off their caper had they not run right into the bears and their ice cream cones.

BREAKING NEWS Bears nab burglars. Skycam 3 shows police closing in to make the arrest.

The bears get a heroes’ sendoff and go back to their den to hibernate.

What an original and funny story idea! Breaking News: Bear Alert is so cleverly told (don’t you just love the names of the stores?!), and Biedrzycki’s illustrations, done in Adobe Photoshop, made me feel as if I were watching a Hanna-Barbera cartoon. This is a picture book that is sure to grab, and keep, the attention of even the most reluctant reader. In other words, there’ll be no hibernating in your home with this book around.

Read an interview with the author/illustrator, David Biedrzycki here.

  • Reviewed by MaryAnne Locher
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Weasels by Elys Dolan

WEASELS BY ELYS DOLAN IS REVIEWED BY MARYANNE LOCHER.

– ALSC Notable Children’s Books
⭐︎Starred Reviews – School Library Journal & Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books –

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Weasels by Elys Dolan, Candlewick Press, 2014.

What do weasels do with their time when they’re not being chased by monkeys around mulberry bushes? According to Elys Dolan, debut author and illustrator of the uproarious picture book Weasels, (Candlewick Press; 2014, $17.99, Ages 5-8) they drink coffee, eat cookies, and …

… plot world domination!

All of this plotting to take over the world is done from an elaborate high-tech secret lab. All systems are go until a blackout shuts down the whole operation and mayhem takes place while the weasels try to fix the problem.

Dolan’s anthropomorphized weasels are reminiscent of characters from an Austin Powers movie. The evil mastermind weasel even strokes a little pet while orchestrating his villainous plot. Children will have fun with all the opportunities to find humorous details in the elaborate multi-media illustrations as well as in the backdrop of conversations between the weasels. My personal favorite is one weasel putting out a fire with an extinguisher while the other says,

“I just thought a few candles would cheer the place up.”

I missed the cause of the blackout my first time reading Weasels. Going back through the book, I could see why. Dolan’s use of color and action threw me off course, but in a good way. The one white weasel in the book, both creates the problem and ultimately solves it. Only one question remains; Will the weasels take over the world? There must be a sequel to this book.

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Splash!

deep puddleLast week Debbie Glade reviewed a terrific counting book about primates, so she thought it perfectly fitting to review a very different (but equally as fantastic) counting book this week.

I love it when my dog pulls me toward a puddle so he can splash through it like a toddler. What little kid doesn’t love a puddle? There’s just something so wholesome about it, don’t you think? The Deep, Deep Puddle ($16.99, Dial Books, Ages 3-6) by author and former teacher, Mary Jessie Parker, will enchant even the youngest of readers and set imaginations soaring (or swimming!).

One day, in a big city, it starts to rain and a small puddle forms. It rains and rains and rains and the puddle grows as do the number of items and creatures who fall into it. From taxis and street vendors to cats and dogs, everything seems to disappear in the ever growing puddle, counting from one to twelve things. Then something amazing happens to make the puddle shrink more and more and more. And the counting goes backwards from twelve to one.

What I love about The Deep, Deep Puddle is that it is so absurd, albeit ultra creative, making it a wild adventure to read as the cover clearly shows. The words have unique sounds, so fitting for a young child’s book, and the vibrant illustrations by Deborah Zemke couldn’t be better. I enjoyed studying each picture for a while, and their adorableness made me smile.

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If you’d like to teach your child to learn to count in a fun, fun way, and you love looking at beautiful illustrations, this is the perfect book.

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Try to Be Brief

briefthiefDebbie Glade tells us why she got a real kick out of reading this terrific picture book.

I’ve read so many picture books in the past five years that I can honestly say I am able to spot a true winner in less than a minute. The Brief Thief ($16.95, Enchanted Lion Books, Ages 4 and up) is indeed one of those books. Not only did I smile while reading every page of this book, I laughed the entire time I was reading it – once to myself and the other time out loud to my husband, who also laughed.

For me, the first step of the review process is always to examine the quality of the physical book. I consider it important because books we love, we want to keep forever or pass on to others who may want to keep them forever. Well, Brief Thief ranks among the highest quality books I’ve ever seen. The hard cover is so thick and sturdy, it is nearly indestructible, the binding is solid and the paper is thick, beautiful matte card stock. I can appreciate this quality, as I am quite familiar with the process and materials used in book printing as a small press publisher myself.

Onto the story . . . Leon is a big green gecko. One morning after breakfast, he needs to use the “facilities” but quickly discovers he is out of toilet paper. To solve his problem, Leon simply uses a pair of undies he finds hanging on a tree as toilet paper. After all they have holes in them, seem unusable for anything else and do not seem to belong to anyone. Then he throws them down and walks away. Well, to Leon’s surprise, those undies do indeed belong to someone else, and he discovers he probably should not have taken them and used them as he did. I won’t give away the ending of the book, but trust me when I tell you that it is clever and engaging, and that every page of this book will make you smile and laugh as I did. Both the words by author Michael Escoffier and the illustrations by Kris Di Giacomo are wonderful, humorous and equally important. Where do authors get crazy, original ideas like this for a picture book? I can only imagine how much fun it was to illustrate!

What makes this book even more interesting is that author Michael Escoffier and illustrator Kris Di Giacomo have created many successful books together in French, including Brief Thief  that we now fortunately have in English. I’ve been told the team has another title coming out in in English in July 2013. Can I please be the first to read it?

So there you have it – a high quality printed book, a funny, well-written original story that is easy to read with spectacular illustrations that all leave you wanting to read the author and illustrator’s next book right now.  Now that’s a perfect picture book.

Note: You’re going to have to wait until April 16, 2013 to read Brief Thief, the publication date for this book. But there’s nothing stopping you from ordering a copy today.

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