Tag Archives: humour in children’s books

Book Review: I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! – by Karen Beaumont

Posted on February 6, 2018 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!
Author: Karen Beaumont
Illustrator: David Catrow
Publisher:  HMH Books for Young Readers
Date: April 1, 2005
Genre: Picture book; age 4-7; Gr Preschool - 3
Pages: 32
Price: $17.99, hardcover
My rating: An excellent book in every way!

This is one of the select few picture books I would not want to have missed – ever.

First of all, look at the cover illustration! That child is creating a blissful experience, totally immersed in his art. 🙂

On the inside of the jacket it says “To the tune of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More” … so I sang it merrily – albeit rather badly – to my dad. And he enjoyed it. Dear man.  :)

This story is hilarious! Karen Beaumont‘s words fit perfectly with the rhythm of the song, and David Catrow‘s illustrations? Oh. My. Gosh. Stunning. Full of expression and colour and fun and hilarity.

The little boy loves painting. The problem is, everything is his canvas. Everything. By the time he has painted the floor and the walls his mother enters the room. “WHAT?” Immediately the paints are put up onto a high closet shelf. Undeterred, he climbs a pile of teetering props – with his little dog nervously watching – and rescues his beloved paints.

This is where the story really kicks in. To the tune of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More”, our little artist begins painting himself, his dog, and everything he missed before. The way Karen Beaumont has each page spread and page turn planned out is so funny with the illustrations. It gives the reader the opportunity to guess what’s coming next and the clue is in the rhyme. Yes, this is a beautiful rhyming book! Right to the very last page there is humour and rhythm. It’s delightful.

Karen Beaumont has other picture books out, and a new one coming this year. You can find I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! – written by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by David Catrow – on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by featured authors and illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

Advertisement

2 Comments

Posted in Mostly About Reading, Reviews & Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story – by Tara Lazar

Posted on August 8, 2017 | 8 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story
Author: Tara Lazar
Illustrator: Ross MacDonald
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Date: May 16, 2017
Genre: children's picture book; humour
Pages: 32
Price: $18.99
My rating: Entertaining story filled with puns and humour

7 Ate 9: The Untold Story is a very entertaining story. And how can it not be, having been written by Tara Lazar?

Private I is asked by the number 6 to help him. He has heard that 7 Ate 9, and he is scared 7 would soon be after him. Private I pointed out that 7 is always after him – as in 5, 6, 7. That fact doesn’t console 6 and he fears his days are numbered as both 7 and 9 seem to be missing!

Private I goes to the café for a slice of pi.  (No, I didn’t mean to type pie.) The waitress, whose name is B, has the scoop. She’d heard that 7 ate 9, and she drops a scoop of ice-cream onto Private I’s pie that’s shaped like the number π – which is the mathematical pi.

As you can easily figure out from what little I have said – not wanting to give away the whole story – there are many puns and word plays in this funny picture book 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story. The bold, creative illustrations by Ross MacDonald (a Canadian now living in the US) are perfectly suited to the story and visually add to the puns. The reader must pay attention to the illustrations to not miss the added humour.

In a surprising and funny conclusion, Private I cleverly solves the mystery of missing 9 and 7, reminding the adult reader a little of Sherlock Holmes.  🙂

Tara Lazar has cleverly written a book for children that is full of puns, plays on words, and humour. Young readers are sure to enjoy 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story.

You can find 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara Lazar on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Goodreads, and when available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Chapters.Indigo.

Your comments are greatly appreciated by authors, illustrators, and this blogger. ♥

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

8 Comments

Posted in Mostly About Reading, Reviews & Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster – by Claire Lordon

Posted on April 13, 2017 | 6 comments

 

 

 

 


Book: Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster
Author/illustrator: Claire Lordon
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Date: May 3, 2016
Genre: children's picture book; ages 4-8; pre-school-3
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99 ($21.99 CD)
My rating: a funny story children will love for its 
simplicity in the familiar

 

Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster was written and illustrated by Claire Lordon. 

Lorenzo the lobster loved adventure and exploring. He also loved trying new foods he found. One day he met a seagull eating something that smelled amazing. It was called pizza, the seagull told him. Lorenzo sampled it and loved it!

How many lobsters do you know of that love pizza? You now know of Lorenzo the lobster who was so excited about pizza that he hurried home to tell his friends about it. It was when he told Kalena the sea turtle, and she suggested they make one, that Lorenzo realized he didn’t remember what is in a pizza. He only remembered it was delicious.

This story is funny for young readers who do know the ingredients in a pizza. Even if they don’t know for sure, they will know that seaweed is not one of the things they eat on their pizza, nor is jellyfish jelly.

Lorenzo and Kalena’s attempts don’t turn out to be very tasty. Disappointed, and on her way home, Kalena discovers someone’s pizza shop. Then she has a great idea.

Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster is a story children will enjoy and find to be quite funny. Claire Lordon’s illustrations are bright and fun, with a friendly warm appeal.

You can find Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster by Claire Lordon on my BUY THE BOOK page.

I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Goodreads, and sometimes Chapters.Indigo.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

6 Comments

Posted in Mostly About Reading, Reviews & Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , ,

2 Book Reviews: Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around & Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood – by Marcie Colleen

Posted on March 16, 2017 | 2 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Book: Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around
Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Steve James
Publisher: Imprint
Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: children's; chapter book for K-3; age 5-8
Pages: 144; paperback
Price: $5.99
My rating: nine chapters of fun reading for young readers

Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around, written by Marcie Colleen, is book one of a chapter book series for  young readers. 

In Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around we are introduced to the Super Happy Party Bears who live in their own Party Patch in Grumpy Woods. They love all their neighbours but the sentiment is not appreciated nor reciprocated. The bears find a way to party for anything at all, but no one else wants to join them. Why? Because everyone else is working at being grumpy.

Mayor Quill (a porcupine) takes it upon himself to settle the situation, which leads to another problem. He goes home to take a bath when it’s discovered the water is gone. I like Marcie Colleen’s use of humour; for example, when his assistant cautiously speaks to the mayor who’s sitting in shallow water in his bathtub, “”… I just wanted to let you know there seems to be a problem with the water. It is missing, sir.” “You don’t say,” responded Mayor Quill.”

It is soon discovered that the water problem was caused by an uninvited beaver family that recently moved into the neighbourhood. The Super Happy Party Bears are excited and want to have a party but no one else is thrilled. One thing leads to another and misunderstandings and funny situations abound.

Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around is nine chapters of fun, laughs, and happiness trying to overcome grumpiness. Steve James has created great illustrations on every page which makes it even more enjoyable for the young reader.

You can find Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo, and Goodreads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book: Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood
Author: Marcie Colleen
Illustrator: Steve James
Publisher: Imprint
Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: children's; chapter book for K-3; age 5-8
Pages: 144; paperback
Price: $5.99
My rating: nine chapters of fun reading for young readers

 

Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood, written by Marcie Colleen, is book two of a chapter book series for young readers.

In Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood we are re-introduced to the Super Happy Party Bears who live in their own Party Patch in Grumpy Woods.

In this book we meet Wallace the Woodpecker who is enthusiastically noisy. That does not go over well in the Grumpy Woods, but the Super Happy Party Bears find a rhythm in his constant knocking on wood. Of course, that’s reason to have a dance party!

When it is discovered that Wallace doesn’t simply peck holes in things, he creates designs, the Super Happy Party Bears hire him to fix things. Wallace gets so immersed in being creative he is soon doing things that are not appreciated, such as making a sun roof in Opal Owl’s house. Opal screeches, “I’m NOCTURNAL! I like it dark!”

Wallace decides he should leave the Grumpy Woods, but the bears don’t want him to. Of course there are lots more misunderstandings and funny things that happen before a resolution is found.

Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood is nine chapters of fun, laughs, and attempts at trying to be neighbourly. Steve James has created great illustrations on every page which makes it even more enjoyable for the young reader.

You can find Super Happy Party Bears: Knock, Knock on Wood on my BUY THE BOOK page. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo, and Goodreads.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

2 Comments

Posted in Mostly About Reading, Reviews & Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , ,