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Hayes, Geoffrey
10 Reviews
(3)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Mouse siblings Benny and Penny discover a deceased Little Red--their salamander playmate--under a pile of leaves. Penny sets about burying Little Red, as Benny struggles with guilt over his unkindness while Little Red was alive. The graphic novel format makes multiple perspectives accessible to beginning readers. Soft, autumnal colored-pencil illustrations suit the gentle exploration of death.
Reviewer: Rebecca Fox
(3)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Benny and Penny set off in search of Benny's lost pirate hat. The fog makes familiar parts of the yard seem threatening, but the story ends happily with the mice safely back home and the pirate hat located. Like the others in the series, the graphic novel works well for emergent readers with its clear plot, childlike emotions, soft illustrations, and simple language.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
Toon Book series.
The delightful bear who pleased new readers in Patrick in a Teddy Bear's Picnic and Other Stories is back for four more short homey adventures--eating veggies, helping Daddy, bathing, and preparing for bed. The comic format and approachable vocabulary make this book eminently suited for beginning readers. Hayes's detailed, expressive illustrations and childlike sense of fun complete the package.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
PS
Papa and Bunny discover many lights while searching for a night-light--stars, fireflies, a glowworm--but they can’t find the right one for Bunny, until Mama retrieves a special lamp from her childhood. In the illustrations for this reassuring story, the rabbits' house looks especially snug, framed with borders of nighttime scenery. The pictures are enhanced with glow-in-the-dark paint; gimmicky but hard to resist.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Benny can't sleep and keeps his sister Penny up, too. When Benny climbs out the window to look for his pirate hat, Penny follows in pursuit. The mouse siblings enjoy a good scare before going to bed. As in Benny and Penny's previous adventures, comic-book panels, a friendly palette of soft colors, simple speech bubbles, and a childlike escapade contribute to this book's appeal.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Toon Books continues its effort to attract new and reluctant readers through the comic-book format, using detailed and refined illustrations. Hayes supplies engaging stories about bullying and napping and how his diminutive teddy bear protagonist tries to avoid each. Patrick is adorable, especially when he's wet from the rain or "ROAR!"ing his little heart out.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
Step into Reading series.
Fred the dragon leaves home with a list of dragon-esque tasks (e.g, "run amok," "eat people"). It turns out Fred is not so great at--or interested in--these things, so he makes his own path. Short, simple sentences; light humor; and colorful, silly illustrations make this a solid choice for newly independent readers. The book would also work well as a read-aloud.
Reviewer: Betsy Murray
(2)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Mouse siblings Benny and Penny's cousin Bo comes to visit: "Hide all the toys!" The book's fun is in the visual counterpoint between the sweetly rustic milieu and the manic slapstick. Hayes's witty illustrations express much with the twitch of a whisker. The neat cartoon panels allow a good balance between information in the pictures and the ballooned dialogue.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2010
(3)
K-3
The mouse siblings meet their new neighbor through a series of misunderstandings: Benny, believing the young opossum has stolen his pail, takes hers; a mud fight, tears, an apology, and finally tentative friendship ensue. The pastoral panel illustrations and simple dialogue ably convey concepts of faulty first impressions, funny versus serious accidents, and neighborly no-nos without sacrificing accessibility or reality.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(2)
K-3
Toon Book series.
Comic books meet picture books in these titles. Silly introduces the seasons through a child's experiences. In Benny, mouse siblings squabble about playing together. Otto is a takeoff on "King Midas." All feature panels and speech balloons, and palettes change from book to book; Lilly uses bright colors, Benny employs pastels to add sweetness, and Otto is all about orange. Review covers these Toon Book titles: Otto's Orange Day, Benny and Penny in Just Pretend, and Silly Lilly and the Four Season.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2008
10 reviews
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