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Saturday
March 20, 2010 Since 1922 |
‘Bad Boys’ should be read out loud for laughs
By JoAn Martin
Baytown Sun Published July 18, 2004 Palatini, Margie. “Bad Boys.” Illustrated by Henry Cole. Harper Collins. 2003. Hardback. $15.99. ISBN 0-06-000102-X. Ages 4-7
How can we help but secretly admire badness? Willy and Wally Wolf stay in trouble all the time, but they are sort of adorable.
They decide to lay low from the law. Where can they hide?
In disguise the two bad boys join a flock of sheep appearing as Willimina and Wallanda. With references to the Little Red Riding Hood wolf and the villainous wolf of Three Pigs fame, they pretend to belong to the Peep family, the Bo Peeps.
Henry Cole’s illustrations are laugh-out-loud. The reader watches Cole as he dresses Wally and Willy, pulling on panty hose and stringing jewelry around their necks. They sashay around intending to “fleece the flock” of sheep and dine on lamb smorgasbord.
But Betty Mutton, Trudie Ewe and Meryl Sheep are too sharp to be caught in that trap. This read-aloud is sure to entertain the parents as well as the young readers and is available at Sterling Municipal Library.
Lester, Helen. “Something Might Happen.” Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Boston, MA. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2003. Hardback. 32 pages. $15. ISBN 0-618-25406-4.
Many children need a book that helps them struggle with fears, real or irrational. Lynn Munsinger’s illustrations are perfect in portraying fear, from the huddled lemur in the corner to his hiding behind the tablecloth.
In contrast to the fears of Twitchly, the fun his friends have are captured by the illustrator, Lynn Munsinger. Twitchly Fidget sees disaster everywhere: in the bubbling shampoo, in the crunchy cereal, in his sneakers. He even built a shack to hide in, with no windows, no doors, no roof.
His lemur friends keep trying to entice Twitchly to take a risk, to have fun. But in his imagination, each adventure is a threat and might develop into a catastrophe.
Aunt Bridget Fidget saves the day by fixing Twitchly Fidget and makes something happen, proving to Twitchly how exciting reality can be, and life is not so scary after all. Available for check-out at Sterling Municipal Library.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher. She may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.
Baytown Sun Published July 18, 2004 Palatini, Margie. “Bad Boys.” Illustrated by Henry Cole. Harper Collins. 2003. Hardback. $15.99. ISBN 0-06-000102-X. Ages 4-7
How can we help but secretly admire badness? Willy and Wally Wolf stay in trouble all the time, but they are sort of adorable.
They decide to lay low from the law. Where can they hide?
In disguise the two bad boys join a flock of sheep appearing as Willimina and Wallanda. With references to the Little Red Riding Hood wolf and the villainous wolf of Three Pigs fame, they pretend to belong to the Peep family, the Bo Peeps.
Henry Cole’s illustrations are laugh-out-loud. The reader watches Cole as he dresses Wally and Willy, pulling on panty hose and stringing jewelry around their necks. They sashay around intending to “fleece the flock” of sheep and dine on lamb smorgasbord.
But Betty Mutton, Trudie Ewe and Meryl Sheep are too sharp to be caught in that trap. This read-aloud is sure to entertain the parents as well as the young readers and is available at Sterling Municipal Library.
Lester, Helen. “Something Might Happen.” Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Boston, MA. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2003. Hardback. 32 pages. $15. ISBN 0-618-25406-4.
Many children need a book that helps them struggle with fears, real or irrational. Lynn Munsinger’s illustrations are perfect in portraying fear, from the huddled lemur in the corner to his hiding behind the tablecloth.
In contrast to the fears of Twitchly, the fun his friends have are captured by the illustrator, Lynn Munsinger. Twitchly Fidget sees disaster everywhere: in the bubbling shampoo, in the crunchy cereal, in his sneakers. He even built a shack to hide in, with no windows, no doors, no roof.
His lemur friends keep trying to entice Twitchly to take a risk, to have fun. But in his imagination, each adventure is a threat and might develop into a catastrophe.
Aunt Bridget Fidget saves the day by fixing Twitchly Fidget and makes something happen, proving to Twitchly how exciting reality can be, and life is not so scary after all. Available for check-out at Sterling Municipal Library.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher. She may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.