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Watt, Mélanie
15 Reviews
(3)
K-3
A fly's life is "changed with the switch of a button" when it gets vacuumed up. Stuck inside the dust bag, it experiences all five stages of grief before being set free. Dense with visual gags and callbacks, the book's accessible conceptual underpinnings and cartoonishly expressive protagonist make it both funny and suspenseful. Rich in clever detail, this will reward multiple reads.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(3)
K-3
Scaredy Squirrel would rather watch TV inside his tree than be forced to camp in the "rugged" outdoors. However, his elaborate plan to plug in a TV requires more wilderness preparation than camping itself. Timed maneuvers, weather charts, and detailed maps are no good when the unexpected inevitably happens. Watt's simple stylized art and quirky sense of humor make a kid-friendly adventure.
Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan
(4)
K-3
Including a costume scare-o-meter, tips on jack-o'-lantern carving, and the proper method for visiting a haunted mansion (as quickly as you can), Scaredy Squirrel has prepared a safety guide for this very dangerous and frightening holiday. Scaredy Squirrel's own brand of humorous neuroses satisfyingly fills the comic-book illustrations of what is essentially a repeat of his (also story-less) Christmas safety guide.
Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden
(4)
K-3
Scaredy Squirrel sees only the dangers posed by Christmas: a suspicious-looking Santa, the Abominable Snowman, sharp-edged ornaments, to name a few. This is his safety guide to avoiding these and other perils. Though this droll book is longer than the previous ones and in chapter format, fans of the neurotic squirrel will find the amusement they expect, but they won't find a plot.
Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden
(3)
K-3
For his birthday, Scaredy Squirrel plans a little celebration in which nothing could possibly go wrong. Forced to confront the unexpected during his party, he comes to appreciate some spontaneity (a very, very small amount). This book, with its silly text and cheerfully busy illustrations, playfully continues the pattern and humor of the series.
Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore
(3)
K-3
A wide-eyed, insistent rabbit begins the direct-address story on the book's cover, exclaiming to readers: "You're finally here!" The text continues in this vein, with Rabbit asking rhetorical questions ("Do you know how BORED I get when I'm waiting?"), creating a playful read-aloud experience. The digital-looking illustrations are appropriately done in understated carrot-y hues.
Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore
(3)
K-3
In this meta-story, Chester the cat hides author Mélanie Watt's supplies, so he can write his own tale. As Chester struggles with originality and encounters writer's block, Watt offers him--and the reader--pointers on how to construct a real story with a setting, characters, and plot. Attention-grabbing illustrations show Chester, red marker in hand, drawing kid-friendly sketches.
Reviewer: Sophie Williamson
(3)
K-3
In his fourth spirited adventure, Scaredy Squirrel is determined to avoid bad dreams by staving off sleep. However, nothing incites imagination quite like exhaustion. In order to keep away nightmarish fairies, dragons, and "polka-dot monsters," Scaredy comes up with a plan, and chaos ensues. Great pacing and comic timing in addition to well-designed, detailed, kid-friendly illustrations make this a winner.
Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer
(3)
K-3
This book stars a smarmy salesman, pictured with a teeny-tiny pompadour and an avocado-mustard-orange plaid suit. His mission? To sell Have I Got A Book for You! As a last-ditch effort, he points to the final page, which comes with a torn corner, and delivers his parting shot: "You break it, you buy it!!!" A clever work of metafiction.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
In his third adventure, Scaredy Squirrel decides that the safest way to enjoy the beach is to create one in his own backyard. But capturing the sound of the ocean requires the perfect shell--from the "REAL beach"--and careful planning ensues (and unravels). Smart writing and playful, varied, child-friendly illustrations characterize this book.
Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer
(3)
K-3
In this sequel to the equally meta Chester, the humility-challenged cat returns with his red marker to contradict everything Watt writes in her story about him. The corresponding illustrations (one looks as though it's been Scotch-taped back together) offer further evidence of the author-diva feud. This book may not expand on Chester, but its audacious humor justifies its existence.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
In this ostensible picture book in progress, Watt tries to tell readers a story about a mouse, but her cat, Chester, keeps butting in with his red pen, both to alter the text ("Hasta la vista, Mousie!") and disfigure the quaint pictures. This is the best kind of meta-story: unconventional and irreverent but also kid-friendly and comprehensible.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(2)
K-3
Terrified of being bitten by piranhas or Godzilla, Scaredy Squirrel keeps to himself. But when he spots a goldfish, he thinks he's found the perfect germ-free, quiet, non-biting companion. Muted-color illustrations downplay Scaredy's anxieties and highlight the silliness of his over-the-top tactics; playfully varied page designs add liveliness to a lighthearted story that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2007
(4)
K-3
Penguin Augustine is nervous about her family's move to the North Pole, and her narration amounts to what adults believe children in her circumstance are feeling ("I wish I could turn back time and be in the South Pole with my friends"). The satisfying acrylic and pencil–crayon art features just-for-those-in-the-know winks, including anxious Augustine's self-portrait as Edvard Munch's famous screamer.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(4)
K-3
While the other chameleons match their surroundings, Leon changes to the complementary color. But when Leon and his companions get lost, his embarrassing difference saves them. The obvious allegory avoids preachiness by making Leon a likable character. Acrylic art with expressive black lines and a bold design allow the smallish book to be appropriate for read-alouds. The last page explains complementary colors.
Reviewer: Lolly Robinson
15 reviews
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