by Tony Ross ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 1983
A disappointingly ordinary tale of an erring kid set straight by a dose of his own medicine. When his father tells him to wash the dishes, Nicky pretends not to hear. ""Oh,"" he says later. ""I thought you said wash the fishes."" His mother, taking him to the dentist, says ""Get your hat,"" and Nicky disappears. ""I'm sorry, Mom. I thought you said paint the cat."" Nicky gets his comeuppance one night when he decides to stay in the woods until eleven (because his parents have said ""Be home by seven"") and meets up with a little old wish-giver. Wishing, implausibly, for a golden rose, Nicky ends up with a long golden nose. After a few more such mixups he skulks home with the silly nose, extra-long feet, and the fur of a bear--but only to wake up next morning ""his old self again,"" Remembering his dream, ""He suddenly realized that it wasn't nice to pretend to mix things up."" Ross' giddy watercolors promise a story of sophisticated hilarity but he delivers only a mechanical routine.
Pub Date: June 30, 1983
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Holt, Rinehart & Winston
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1983
Categories: CHILDREN'S
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