menfrommarrs's review against another edition
3.0
Cute illustrations and really short Shaggy Dog Stories. It reminds me of a young child re-telling a joke before they understand the necessary nuances and exact wording required to deliver a good punch line. The gag falls flat but the adults are still amused.
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
Why hello new top choice for story time and class visits.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
5.0
Clever and funny, my fourth grader couldn't wait to trick me with this story of mistaken assumptions and perfect rhyme scheme. While he still loves a good picture book, he loves the smug satisfaction that comes from tricking his mama more.
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
He steals carrots from the neighbor's yard.
His hair is soft, his teeth are hard.
His floppy ears are long and funny.
Can you guess who? That's right! My
[turn the page:]
Grandpa Ned.
This book will KILL at a kindergarten storytime. But first, let me address something. There are a batch of reviews on Amazon written by parents of two-year-olds, and in those reviews, those parents are a bit up in arms about the way that this book misled their children. "It seems somewhat odd that we parents spend so much time teaching our kids to think logically, do puzzles, problem solve, etc. out comes this book that sort of throws them off by giving them the completely unexpected," reads one.
YES. Humor is what separate kids from little kids, and subversion of expectations is one of the fundaments of humor. You ever notice how little kids can't make up jokes? Until small children develop a basic vocabulary of expectations and consequences, they don't really understand humor. Although - don't email me - they are certainly funny people. And laugh at funny things. It's just that they're busy populating their cause-and-effect encyclopedia, and when you get in the way of that, they don't. like it. I remember being extremely pissed off at Pippi Longstocking (and ooh, that's a nice edition of Pippi, illustrated by Lauren Child? Match made in heaven!) when I was very small, because what she did just DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
But once they are well on their way to getting a firm grasp on what you can expect from the universe, you get a little leeway. Bark, Georgeis my favorite example of a funny book for a three-year-old. It's the first book of subverted expectations that a little kid will "get". The vet asks puppy George to bark, and George says "Quack." And the three year old's face goes "OH MY GOD. YOU GUYS! Did you see that? That's MESSED. UP! Dogs don't say 'quack,' they're supposed to say 'woof'! And he says 'quack' because there's a duck down his throat! How did that duck get down there! HUMOR!!! Wow my mind is totally blown right now. Read it again."
I paraphrase, of course. But little kids are like Mork, I swear. Mork would NOT GET Guess Again!. But a six-year old, and certainly a seven year old? Will.
(Oh crap did I forget to compliment the art? I love the art. It's Adam Rex, people. Composition, color, watercolor technique, expression... Adam Rex can paint an argyle sweater and give it personality and depth.)
more like this on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/
His hair is soft, his teeth are hard.
His floppy ears are long and funny.
Can you guess who? That's right! My
[turn the page:]
Grandpa Ned.
This book will KILL at a kindergarten storytime. But first, let me address something. There are a batch of reviews on Amazon written by parents of two-year-olds, and in those reviews, those parents are a bit up in arms about the way that this book misled their children. "It seems somewhat odd that we parents spend so much time teaching our kids to think logically, do puzzles, problem solve, etc. out comes this book that sort of throws them off by giving them the completely unexpected," reads one.
YES. Humor is what separate kids from little kids, and subversion of expectations is one of the fundaments of humor. You ever notice how little kids can't make up jokes? Until small children develop a basic vocabulary of expectations and consequences, they don't really understand humor. Although - don't email me - they are certainly funny people. And laugh at funny things. It's just that they're busy populating their cause-and-effect encyclopedia, and when you get in the way of that, they don't. like it. I remember being extremely pissed off at Pippi Longstocking (and ooh, that's a nice edition of Pippi, illustrated by Lauren Child? Match made in heaven!) when I was very small, because what she did just DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
But once they are well on their way to getting a firm grasp on what you can expect from the universe, you get a little leeway. Bark, Georgeis my favorite example of a funny book for a three-year-old. It's the first book of subverted expectations that a little kid will "get". The vet asks puppy George to bark, and George says "Quack." And the three year old's face goes "OH MY GOD. YOU GUYS! Did you see that? That's MESSED. UP! Dogs don't say 'quack,' they're supposed to say 'woof'! And he says 'quack' because there's a duck down his throat! How did that duck get down there! HUMOR!!! Wow my mind is totally blown right now. Read it again."
I paraphrase, of course. But little kids are like Mork, I swear. Mork would NOT GET Guess Again!. But a six-year old, and certainly a seven year old? Will.
(Oh crap did I forget to compliment the art? I love the art. It's Adam Rex, people. Composition, color, watercolor technique, expression... Adam Rex can paint an argyle sweater and give it personality and depth.)
more like this on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
I love that feeling of reading a book and knowing this is a book that is going to make kids love reading.
This is one of them.
Kids will love the outlandish humor and predictability of the crazy answers.
This is one of them.
Kids will love the outlandish humor and predictability of the crazy answers.
daisycakesco's review against another edition
5.0
It's the anti-rhyme book! What fun this will be to share with storytime kids, who can EASILY figure out the rhyme and giggle when the answer is a totally silly, non-rhyming thing!
libraryrobin's review against another edition
4.0
Misleading rhymes lead the reader to guess an answer, but it turns out to be something totally different. Laugh out loud funny.