Available:*
Library | Shelf Number | Material Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Dassenhoek Library | MACN | Juvenile Picture Book | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Lalucia Library | PE MACN | Juvenile Picture Book | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
Experience comic close encounters of the alien kind in this innovative picture book.Dad's new book has just arrived and his children are sitting down to read his latest adventure... Blasting off into space, Dad's on the hunt for aliens. He meets lots of them - cute, hairy, bug-eyed and scary - and, strangest of all, he falls in love. But what will his family think of his far-fetched tale? A hilarious and innovative picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Colin McNaughton.
Author Notes
Colin McNaughton was born on May 1, 1951 in Britain. He is the writer and illustrator of over 70 children's books. He studied graphic design at the Central School of Art and Design in London. He then went on to earn his MA in illustration at the Royal College of Art which is when he published his firat book. His picture books have comic -strip techniques that make them unique.
McNaughton's books include the Preston Pig series: Suddenly!, Boo!, Clops!, Goal!, Hmm... and Shh (Don't Tell Mister Wolf!) all of which feature Preston Pig and his clever escapes from Mr Wolf. A TV series was later developed from these books. One of his notable books is, There's an Awful Lot of Weirdos in Our Neighbourhood, which is a collection of poetry written with Allan Ahlberg.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Employing the trademark goofy humor and kid-friendly illustrations that make his books popular with young audiences, McNaughton revisits outer space. Dad, a children's book author and illustrator (whose characters look an awful lot like those from McNaughton's oeuvre), receives a copy of his newest title in the mail from the publisher. He immediately hands it over to his family for review, nervously leaving to walk the dog rather than watch their response. Readers then open to a copy of his book, a paperback volume literally pasted onto a page of the framing story. This book-within-a-book tells a silly rhyming space adventure of a man (who looks a lot like Dad) and his dog (who strongly resembles the family pet) as they encounter and interact with extraterrestrial beings. Not only do they find adventure among the aliens, but they also find love. The family's response to this publication includes a comic twist that will be appreciated by children. Shared in a group setting or one-on-one, this engaging selection is certain to be enjoyed for the colorful cartoon illustrations and the imaginative story.-Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Literally a book within a book (which is to say that a small paperback has been adhered to one of the pages of the hardcover), McNaughton's (Captain Abdul's Little Treasure) tale begins as the mail arrives with a copy of the new alien book written by the child narrators' father. He hands it to his sons, and "it" is the paperback ("This is what we read...."). The paperback is full of kid-pleasing poetry and wordplay: "We saw lots of smelly things,/ Never-seen-on-telly-things,/ Eyeball-in-their-belly-things," and it ends with a space explorer bringing home an alien wife. Better still, the pages that follow offer a terrific punch line. "Kids tend to like fairy tales and stuff," the boys say when they finish reading their father's book. "Who's going to want to read a true story?" Only on the last page do readers see a full view of the author's family, complete with googly eyes and extra arms, and realize the paperback is an autobiography. Kids will relish the joke as well as the innovative format. Ages 4-9. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved