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(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Catrow.
Edward, buried beneath a heap of toys, acknowledges his selfishness after "Edward's mom came in with fudge, / Edward found he couldn't budge. / His mother didn't see him there, / and so she gave it all to Claire." Reiss's rhymes are crisp, and Catrow's humorously busy, angular illustrations help realize that most common of childhood cries: "It's MINE!"
24 pp.
| Peachtree
| September, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-1-56145-421-1$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Michael G. Montgomery.
Reiss imagines how Santa spends his free months once Christmas is over. Kids will get a kick out of seeing Santa relaxing at the beach and trick-or-treating in an Easter Bunny costume. The jolly oil-paint illustrations do a better job capturing the spirit of events than the text's uneven rhymes.
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Catrow.
Welcome to Noelle's world--Christmas City, Texmas, where it's Christmas 364 days a year. Un-Christmas Day is "the one unmagical nonholiday in Christmas City." No presents, no relatives, no Christmas TV specials, and, on this special day, Noelle and her friends get to go to school! Catrow's exaggerated, Seussian-channeled illustrations match the story's tongue-in-cheek humor.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2006
32 pp.
| Peachtree
| September, 2003
|
TradeISBN 1-56145-286-6$$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Michael Austin
&
Michael Austin.
In a rollicking verse, Smitty explains how hard he worked to get to school on time--braving a snowstorm, sailing through a flood in Times Square, and avoiding aliens, an escaped gorilla, and giant spiders. It's a one-joke story, but there's a neat extra twist at the end that adds to the fun. The airbrushed caricatures have a sense of exaggeration well suited to the tall tale.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Catrow.
Benjy bears a striking resemblance to Abraham Lincoln--including the beard. But when he vacations at a "camp for kids who look like things," he learns to appreciate his odd appearance. The bizarre story and caricature illustrations are amusing and unsettling (other campers resemble a toaster, a pyramid, and the back end of a horse). The final joke--Benjy's brother looks like Richard Nixon--will go over the heads of most young readers.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Catrow.
When Santa develops a fear of chimneys, his therapist Doc Holiday prescribes a vacation from Christmas. Doc and the other citizens of Stinky Cigars (all holiday characters such as Lincoln, Cupid, and the Groundhog) band together to cover for Santa, making a mess of things. Told in rhyme, Reiss's anticlimactic story is witty and irreverent, and Catrow's rich, cartoon illustrations are bustling with quirky characters and humor.
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Mike Cressy.
When Ned creates a "mix-up ray" that transforms objects into anagrams of themselves, his aunt turns into a tuna; his teacher, Mrs. Eton, becomes a monster; and all of the art in the neighborhood museum is transformed. The clever concept is presented through carefully honed rhymed text and zany, cartoonlike illustrations that capture each transformation.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Catrow.
On the night before Christmas, Edison Elf's invention (a boxing-glove-in-the-box) knocks Santa out cold. With the big guy out of commission, Edison must scare up a substitute, pronto. Murray Kleiner, North Pole Diner-owner, reluctantly fills the position. Reiss's irreverent send-up is told in singsongy rhyme. Catrow's expressive, cartoony illustrations complement the text.