I have really enjoyed reading chapter books with William, and we recently finished The Terrible Two, co-written by Mac Barnett and Jory John.
The book opens with Miles Murphy's transition to a new school. He and his mom have just moved from a beach community to a small cow town ("Somewhere in the distance, a cow mooed."), and he's not thrilled about it. At his old school, he was the "prankster," a role that he was proud of and worked hard to achieve. And he has every intention of being his new school's best prankster, as well.
But there's a problem: the first day of school starts with -- a PRANK! Someone has parked the principal's car at the top of the steps, blocking the school entrance. Miles is worried that there is another prankster, but somehow gets the blame for the car stunt from purple-faced, self-important Principal Barkin. Regardless, Miles is determined to show this town who's prank boss, and devises a scheme.
When he pulls a prank on the whole school, though, his prank is hijacked. He receives a message on a rubber chicken, and goes to meet the messenger. It is none other than Niles Sparks, the goody-two-shoes school helper. Niles proposes that they team up as a force-to-be-reckoned-with pranking duo: The Terrible Two. At first Miles rejects the idea, but only after a pranking war leaves him in awe of Niles' impressive pranking skills does he agree.
This book is soooo funny. From Principal Barkin's "principal pack" to the elaborate pranking journals kept by the two main characters to the clever writing, you will enjoy the story just as much as your child. Barnett and John have created flawed characters that are real and relatable -- and always funny. As intense as Principal Barkin can be, you can't help but like him! And all of the pranks and sticky situations that the characters find themselves in keep the pages turning. The chapters are short and quick, with illustrations sprinkled throughout, courtesy of Kevin Cornell.
I highly recommend this book for early or even middle-grade readers. And, if you are at all interested in hearing from the authors, check out this entertaining interview via the School Library Journal. In it, Barnett and John talk about how they see themselves in the characters, how their writing process worked, and the pranks they pull -- and have pulled on them! -- when they do school visits. Engaging books coming to life -- I love it!
Happy reading,
~Jen
I read a book with William last night. A book that had him laughing out loud. A book that had him yelling at the pages to tell the characters what to do. A book where the pictures truly tell half the story.
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (Candlewick, 2014) is the creation of award-winning duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. It is the story of two boys who set out to dig a hole until they find something spectacular. While the words tell you of their decisions, the illustrations complete the story, showing a series of hilarious misses.
In the end, they are satisfied that they had a spectacular adventure. But where, exactly, did they end up?
Klassen's illustrations are more than delightful -- they also move the story forward in a completely lovable and captivating manner. The subtle differences between the opening and closing scenes will have you scratching your head. And the images of the boys' missteps -- and the seemingly knowing dog -- will make kids laugh out loud. It is so engaging and fun to read.
Go check it out! This pair also teamed up for the book Extra Yarn, which also won a Caldecott Honor, and you can check out a convo between them here.
Happy Wednesday!
Perhaps you've heard the story of our 27th president, William Howard Taft, and how he once got himself stuck in a bathtub. No one is quite certain that this story is true (though there are published news stories of Taft once overflowing a bathtub in a hotel, wherein the water then trickled down onto the diners in the dining hall). Well, true or not, consider adding President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath to your list of Presidents' Day picture books. :)
Published in 2014 (Candlewick) and written by Mac Barnett (highly talented author of Extra Yarn, Leo: a Ghost Story, The Terrible Two series, and more), President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath imagines what might have transpired the day that the Chief Executive found himself unable to get out of his bath. Taft calls in members of his cabinet to help find a solution: the vice president is ready to be sworn in as president, the secretary of agriculture suggests an enormous vat of butter to grease him out, and the secretary of war suggests dynamite. Ultimately, it is the First Lady who comes up with a solution.
This book is filled with humor, old-timey colloquialisms, and history. And beyond being simply a fun and playful tale, kids will also learn about the various members of the president's cabinet and what they do. Win-win.
I especially like the author's note at the end that details "Some Facts Pertaining to President Taft and Bathtubs." Apparently he really liked a good soak.
Enjoy!
