THERE WAS AN OLD MONKEY WHO SWALLOWED A FROG

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THERE WAS AN OLD MONKEY WHO SWALLOWED A FROG

Name: THERE WAS AN OLD MONKEY WHO SWALLOWED A FROG
Author: Jennifer Ward
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5580-6

by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Gray ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2010

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Old monkey swallows bits and pieces of the rainforest to a cumulative refrain, a rhythm and melody straight from that little old lady: “He swallowed the toucan to squawk at the bat. / He swallowed the bat right after the cocoa. / He swallowed the cocoa to sweeten the frog. / I don't know why he swallowed the frog. / What a hog!” Gray’s shiny digital illustrations show the eater so fat in the end that the only movement possible is his stomach’s “rumble rumble rumble... / Yours would too... // if you swallowed a jungle!” There is no regurgitation here, just an inside view of the googly-eyed cocoa, mango, vine, toucan, iguana, leopard, sloth, tapir, crocodile, etc., all alert and smiling crazily. Ward uses a few too many creatures to maintain the attention of the toddler-and-preschool group, which would be the standard audience for the rhyme, but older children familiar with the original can wink at the slick, goofy art and enjoy the over-the-top comic scenario, perhaps as part of a rainforest unit. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7614-5580-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Review Posted Online: Jan. 1, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2010

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
SLEEPY
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Robin Page

- BOOK REVIEW
JUST YOU AND ME
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Alexander Vidal

- BOOK REVIEW
ROUND
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Lisa Congdon

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THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY WHISKERS

From the Adventures of Henry Whiskers series , Vol. 1

by Gigi Priebe ; illustrated by Daniel Duncan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 3, 2017

Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales.

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The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) upgrades to The Mice and the Rolls-Royce.

In Windsor Castle there sits a “dollhouse like no other,” replete with working plumbing, electricity, and even a full library of real, tiny books. Called Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, it also plays host to the Whiskers family, a clan of mice that has maintained the house for generations. Henry Whiskers and his cousin Jeremy get up to the usual high jinks young mice get up to, but when Henry’s little sister Isabel goes missing at the same time that the humans decide to clean the house up, the usually bookish big brother goes on the adventure of his life. Now Henry is driving cars, avoiding cats, escaping rats, and all before the upcoming mouse Masquerade. Like an extended version of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904), Priebe keeps this short chapter book constantly moving, with Duncan’s peppy art a cute capper. Oddly, the dollhouse itself plays only the smallest of roles in this story, and no factual information on the real Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is included at the tale’s end (an opportunity lost).

Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales. (Fantasy. 6-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4814-6575-5

Page Count: 144

Publisher: Aladdin

Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION

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JOHN PHILIP DUCK

by Patricia Polacco & illustrated by Patricia Polacco ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2004

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Edward and his father work for the Peabody Hotel in Memphis since the Depression has brought hard times for so many. On weekends they return to their farm in the hills and it’s there Edward finds John Philip Duck, named for the composer whose marches Edward listens to on the radio. Edward has to look after the scrawny duckling during the week, so he risks the ire of the hotel manager by taking John Philip with him. The expected occurs when Mr. Shutt finds the duckling. The blustery manager makes Edward a deal. If Edward can train John Philip to swim in the hotel fountain all day (and lure in more customers), Edward and the duck can stay. After much hard work, John Philip learns to stay put and Edward becomes the first Duck Master at the hotel. This half-imagined story of the first of the famous Peabody Hotel ducks is one of Polacco’s most charming efforts to date. Her signature illustrations are a bit brighter and full of the music of the march. An excellent read aloud for older crowds, but the ever-so-slightly anthropomorphic ducks will come across best shared one-on-one. (Picture book. 5-8)