Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Floyd’s kite gets stuck in tree and what is a boy to do? Well, he tries to pull on the string and swing on it, but the kite stays stuck. So he throws one of his shoes up to try and dislodge it. His shoe got stuck too. The other shoe didn’t work either. Now what could he do? Well, the cat was lingering nearby… And so begins the wild and very funny story of a boy, a stuck kite, and a tree with an amazing propensity for keeping things stuck. The story goes wild with what Floyd has thrown into it, never letting up on the joke. In fact, at the end of the story, which I want you to experience for yourself, the humor is still just as strong as in the beginning and the joke stays true.
Jeffers is one of the kings of picture books. His books love to stretch reality to almost breaking, creating new worlds that readers long to get lost in. Here he takes getting a kite stuck in a tree to the extreme, resulting in a very funny book that will have young readers giggling along. The book will also get readers thinking about what they would throw into a tree, so it becomes a great conversation and creativity piece.
Jeffers art is whimsical, funny, and adds a zany edge to the book. He plays with colors throughout, with the character, objects and tree all changing colors as well as the background. It makes for a dynamic read.
This would make a great final book for a storytime, because children will tune back in for the silliness. I can also easily see it as a flannel board story or a jumping-off point for a creative project. This is great fun combined with effortless storytelling and dynamic art. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.
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Take a look at the book trailer featuring Jeffers reading:
Waking Brain Cells 