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rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Inventive tale which narrates the harrowing plight of two ants who don't return to their anthill after a foraging expedition.
calistareads's review against another edition
4.0
This is a cute story from an ants perspective. The ants go looking for food in a human’s house and 2 ants decide to explore for the adventure of their lives.
The kids loved this book. They loved seeing and thinking about their home and world through the lens of an ant. It was a great exercise for them. The nephew giggled and giggled when the ant in the coffee was almost drank. He kept saying what things really were. They loved it. That new perspective worked well for them as a surprise element.
The niece gave this 4 stars and the nephew gave this 5 stars.
The kids loved this book. They loved seeing and thinking about their home and world through the lens of an ant. It was a great exercise for them. The nephew giggled and giggled when the ant in the coffee was almost drank. He kept saying what things really were. They loved it. That new perspective worked well for them as a surprise element.
The niece gave this 4 stars and the nephew gave this 5 stars.
libraryjen's review against another edition
4.0
A little much for my preschoolers, this would be great with elementary age kids. A colony of ants goes in search of really tasty "crystals" for their queen. In the humans home everyone else takes home a sugar crystal for the queen while two small ants decide to stay. They sped the day exploring the human kitchen with all its pitfalls for such tiny creatures. Kids who recognize the cup of coffee, piece of bread, garbage disposal, etc. for what they are will enjoy this book! A nice group read aloud.
margievz's review against another edition
5.0
Another wonderful book from my favorite children's book illustrator. When I was in art school, I wanted to have the same understanding of form and perspective that Van Allsburg has.
I read this book today with my kids, and we all enjoyed it. My 6 year old was really into it, and treated the story as an adventure. My 2 year old kept saying, "Oh No! What's next!?", so I could tell he liked the story!
This is the story of two ants who leave the colony to go on their own, but then realize that there's "No Place Like Home". Very well done.
I read this book today with my kids, and we all enjoyed it. My 6 year old was really into it, and treated the story as an adventure. My 2 year old kept saying, "Oh No! What's next!?", so I could tell he liked the story!
This is the story of two ants who leave the colony to go on their own, but then realize that there's "No Place Like Home". Very well done.
middle_name_joy's review against another edition
4.0
It's sad to see how many adults on Goodreads can't appreciate this marvelous book. They need to put their childhood-glasses back on.
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg couples a whimsical plot with gorgeous illustrations to demonstrate how perspective is everything. For the "two bad ants" is question, sugar is crystal, a human kitchen an "unnatural place" full of dangerous obstacles such as coffee, a toaster, and a power outlet. Unlike other reviewers' summation, the theme is not to conform, it is that after all your adventures, you can always go home.
As an educator, I see innumerable possibilities for skill study, but it's also a story kids will want to hear again and again. Highly recommended.
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg couples a whimsical plot with gorgeous illustrations to demonstrate how perspective is everything. For the "two bad ants" is question, sugar is crystal, a human kitchen an "unnatural place" full of dangerous obstacles such as coffee, a toaster, and a power outlet. Unlike other reviewers' summation, the theme is not to conform, it is that after all your adventures, you can always go home.
As an educator, I see innumerable possibilities for skill study, but it's also a story kids will want to hear again and again. Highly recommended.
lanikei's review against another edition
5.0
Fun book that plays with perspective from the eyes of Two Bad Ants.
The story follows the two ants through a kitchen, but it is all drawn from their eyes. Thinks like a toaster or a bowl of cereal are suddenly terrifying chasms and lakes of white goo.
The story follows the two ants through a kitchen, but it is all drawn from their eyes. Thinks like a toaster or a bowl of cereal are suddenly terrifying chasms and lakes of white goo.
jennifer60656's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book (I guess I wanted the two ants to be really "bad") but there was no differentiation among any of the ants and the overarching message was just "stick with the crowd" and conform. I did, however, like the perspectives from the ant's eye view.
emkoshka's review against another edition
3.0
Quite different in illustrative style to Chris Van Allsburg's other books, the jagged, geometric drawings suit the story really well, immersing the reader in the strange but familiar world of a kitchen as seen from the perspective of two adventurous ants. Very cute.
heypretty52's review against another edition
3.0
Though it was a nice story about the virtues of not being too adventurous, there was none of the magical surrealism in this book that is usually found in Van Allsburg's work. Van Allsburg has won awards touting the power of imagination and dreams. Alongside those works, Two Bad Ants is overly pedestrian and even a bit moralizing.