Spotlight On: BE QUIET! by Ryan Higgins

BE QUIET! 
by Ryan Higgins
Published April, 2017
Disney-Hyperion
40 Pages
Fiction
Hardcover
Obtained from public library

Goodreads Summary

All Rupert the mouse wants is to star in a beautiful, wordless picture book. One that's visually stimulating! With scenic pictures! And style! He has plenty of ideas about what makes a great book, but his friends just WON'T. STOP. TALKING. 

Children and adults alike will chuckle at this comedic take on bookmaking from acclaimed author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.

Quick Thoughts

File this one under books that beg to be read aloud over and over again! How can you create a wordless book when the characters won't BE QUIET!? Rupert grows more and more exasperated as his friends try to "help" him with his book.
It is just hilarious and will appeal to readers in Pre-K through elementary grades. I will definitely be adding it to my collection.

Not surprisingly, BE QUIET! has earned many accolades. Look at all these starred reviews!

School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus

Visit Ryan's super-fun website!

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! by Mike Lowery

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! 
by Mike Lowery
Published Sept. 6, 2016
Workman Publishing Company
112 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Draw your way through the story!

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! is a rip-roaring adventure tale starring Carl, the friendly narrator who happens to be a duck, and the reader, who is drawn right into the story—literally. Together, they embark on the very important mission of finding out who has been stealing all of the pizza in town. Could it be the Dread Pirate Slobberts, the meanest, nastiest pirate ever to sail the Seven Seas? And, more important, how are they going to get all that pizza back?

Armed with a well-sharpened pencil and their imaginations, and following Carl’s prompts, readers fill in the blanks on each page until the story is complete. The result is a sturdy, one-of-a-kind book—starring you!—that’s as much a joy to read over and over again as it was to make.

My Thoughts

I wrote about the first book in the "Doodle Adventures" series this summer. Mike Lowery has created a fun way for kids to interact with the story. These book are perfect for kids who need to find a different way to interact with the text and kids who just love to sketch and draw. How fun to be allowed and even encouraged to draw in a book! The use of muted yellows and oranges allows for the child's illustrations to be seen and to feel like they were meant to be in the book. 
With the holidays coming up, I would highly recommend this series for book fans and budding artists ages.

See what others have to say about this book:

Middle Grade Mafia

Geek Dad

Mike Lowery has illustrated dozens of books including Ken Jennings' Junior Genius Guides. Visit hie website here. 

Visit the publisher's website for more info about this series. 

Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems About Just About Everything by Calef Brown

Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems About Just About Everything
by Calef Brown
Published March 2015 
Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)
Poetry
Review copy obtained from publisher

This book is definitely a hilarious collection of poems about lots of different things. There are poems about real and imaginary animals, school, food, vehicles and more. Each is accompanied by his signature fun and silly illustrations. Under many of the poems are characters that comment on the poem or offer a random question or information.

To say that Brown has a way with words is quite the understatement. He is known for his humourous and zany use of language. He uses rhyme, homonyms, alliteration, creative vocabulary, potmanteaus and puns (and several other techniques I can not describe) to create an experience of nonsensical word play. The poems beg to be read out loud. I can imagine children wanting to share them with each other and reading them over and over again. 

Here is an excerpt from ANTS on page 37

I don't mean to nitpick,
but I went to a picnic, 
and ants were rampant!
I saw one take a crumpet. 


There is a Q and A section near the back where the author answers questions about himself (mostly in verse, of course). He also sends the reader off with parting thoughts urging them to "heed the call" and write. 

Kids will love Hypnotize a Tiger. It would make a fabulous addition to any classroom or personal poetry collection. I would recommend it for grades 2-6. 

What Others Think About Hypnotize a Tiger
Kirkus Reviews
Kids Read
Great Kid Books

Visit Calef Brown's Website for more information about his work. 

August Picture Book 10 for 10-2014

A special thank you to Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek for hosting this fun picture book event.  To read more about the August Picture Book 10 for 10 click here.  Please visit Cathy's blog: Reflect & Refine: Building a Learning Community and Mandy's blog: Enjoy and Embrace Learning.

When selecting books for the August 10 for 10, participants must choose ten picture books they just couldn't live without for whatever reason. 

I LOVE reading picture books to my fourth graders. It is fun to see them still excited to hear these stories. They especially enjoy humorous books. This year I decided to focus on books my fourth graders just love because they are so funny. These are also the books the students grab to reread. 

Ten Books that Make my Fourth Graders Crack Up

Memoirs of a Goldfish

by Devin Scillion

Illustrated by Tim Bowers

Goldfish is lonely in his bowl and wishes for some friends. Soon his bowl is over-crowed with new bowl mates and he longs for his lonely days. 

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

by Peter Brown

Mr. Tiger is tired of being so proper and decides to get in touch with his "wild side". He removes his clothing which alone, makes them gasp with delight. It's fun to watch him get back to nature. 

Crankee Doodle

by Tom Angleberger

Illustrated by Cece Bell

Ever wonder where the song Yankee Doodle came from? Well, you won't find the answer in this book. Turns out that Yankee Doodle is a bit cranky and never wanted to go to town in the first place. 

I Want My Hat Back

by Jon Klassen

and

This is Not My Hat

by Jon Klassen

Both of these books are so fun to read aloud. My students love them because the main character is unaware of what is actually happening in the story. 

Interrupting Chicken

by David Ezra Stein

Yes, this classic kids' joke is a picture book. Little chicken keeps interrupting with funny questions and comments as his father tries to read him a story. 

The Day the Crayons Quit

by Drew Dewalt

Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

I LOVE this picture book. The crayons are fed up with  the way they are being used. They each write a letter to the little boy who uses them stating their particular gripes. Red feels he is used too often and Peach wants to be used for something other than skin color. This books makes them laugh and look at how they use crayons in a whole different way. 

Exclamation Mark

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Litchenheld

Exclamation mark feels like the other punctuation marks are more important. Although he tries to be more like them, he eventually realizes that he is special because no other mark can do what he does. This book is filled with puns that make older kiddos chuckle. 

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

by Marla Frazee

The humor in this book is a bit tongue-in-cheek. James and Eamon are supposed to be enjoying a week at Nature Camp during the day and staying at Eamon's grandparents' house at night. They spend the week eating waffles, lounging and playing video games. 

Any Pigeon Book

by Mo Willems

Pigeon appeals to many age groups. Older students enjoy watching Pigeon get in trouble and love when he gets worked up and yells.

So there they are, ten books that my fourth graders love for sheer fun and silliness. What books make your students laugh?