Synopses & Reviews
2012 Winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award! James is a very picky eater. His dad has to get creativeand#8212;very creativeand#8212;in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesnand#8217;t like. He presents James with a series of outlandish scenarios packed with fanciful and gross kid-friendly detailsand#8212;like pre-chewed gum as an alternative to broccoli and lumpy oatmeal that grows so big it eats the dogand#8212;in an effort to get James to eat. But it is eventually James himself who discovers that some foods are not so bad, after all, if youand#8217;re willing to give them a try. This irreverently hilarious early reader, illustrated in full color, explores a universal point of contention between parent and child in a playful, satisfying way.
Review
Publishers Weekly Priceman's exuberant art crowns a story of a princess who learns to eat her vegetables. The opening spread sets up the premise: the otherwise perfect Princess Nicki scowls as a plump lady-in-waiting wearing wimple and cornet offers her a single pea on a plate; other royals hover anxiously. At the king's order, the staff tries bribes. The coachman, for example, says that if Nicki will try a bite of broccoli, she may ride in a gilded coach "complete with white wall tires... and a global positioning pigeon." With their characteristic verve and quirky fun, Priceman's high-intensity, lushly colored illustrations make hay with the palace fantasy, from the acrobatic jesters to the storybook-style servants to the cats who mirror Nicki's expressions. At last, the castle wizard asks Nicki what she wants. When she tells him her answer to be smart and tall and long-haired, to have a dog and to fly he sends her off with magic pips to plant at midnight. "You tricked me!" she complains when they yield "vile vegetables." "To the contrary," says the wizard. He explains that the vegetables will help her grow smart, tall and long-haired. "You'll have to ask your mother about the dog... and I'm still working on the flying," he finishes modestly. The final spread shows Nicki flying her kingdom's first airplane, with her dog, Turnip, by her side. Young readers might not like their vegetables any better, but they'll certainly clamor for more of Princess Picky. School Library Journal Priceman's vibrant and exuberant acrylic and cut-paper illustrations propel the story forward. The plot seems a bit purposeful: eat your vegetables and you'll grow tall, wise, and inventive. Bulletin, Center for Children's Books The exaggerated text is accompanied by equally exaggerated art: the palace setting is replete with elegantly elongated figures, oversized thrones, vaulted ceilings, and huge chambers. Though purposive, this tale is also clever and funny, and that makes all the difference.
Review
2012 Winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award and#160; "Eager and picky eaters alike will enjoy the wordplay and outrageous situations, which create humor from a familiar source of family tension."and#8212;Booklist and#160; "The sophisticated yet silly humor will appeal to new readers wanting something a little different. . . . A perfect segue into chapter books, this easy reader is sure to be a crowd pleaser." and#8212;School Library Journal and#160; "Stories with all the wit and good humor parents can often lose during dinner table battles. A palatable strategy." and#8212;Chicago Tribune and#160; "The illustrations are fun and whimsical, which causes even picky youngsters to listen attentively without complaints." and#8212;Scaramento Book Review
Synopsis
Princess Nicki has perfect posture, wears perfect princess attire, and has perfectly memorized every chapter of "Manners for Monarchs" -- but she refuses to eat her vegetables. From Caldecott Honor recipient Marjorie Priceman comes a droll, playful story about a perfectly picky eater.
Synopsis
James is a very picky eater. So picky, in fact, that his long-suffering father has to get pretty creative in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesn't like. As a series of outlandish scenarios packed with gross and fanciful kid-friendly details unfolds, James gradually discovers that when you're brave enough to try new foods, they're not always that bad, after all.
Synopsis
James is a very picky eater. So picky, in fact, that his long-suffering father has to get pretty creative in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesn't like. As a series of outlandish scenarios packed with gross and fanciful kid-friendly details unfolds, James gradually discovers that when you're brave enough to try new foods, they're not always that bad, after all.
About the Author
James is a very picky eater. His dad has to get creativeand#8212;very creativeand#8212;in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesnand#8217;t like. He presents James with a series of outlandish scenarios packed with fanciful and gross kid-friendly detailsand#8212;like pre-chewed gum as an alternative to broccoli and lumpy oatmeal that grows so big it eats the dogand#8212;in an effort to get James to eat. But it is eventually James himself who discovers that some foods are not so bad, after all, if youand#8217;re willing to give them a try. This irreverently hilarious early reader, illustrated in full color, explores a universal point of contention between parent and child in a playful, satisfying way.
You'll Be Sorryby Josh Schneider
Clarion, Fall 2007
ABC Best Book for Children
IRA Notable Bookand#160;
"The watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings work nicely to enhance this humorous cautionary tale. . . . Silly fun with a bit of a moral."--School Library Journal
"A puckish tale of impulsive sibling violence and remorse in a family of Kevin Henkesand#8211;like mice."--Kirkus Reviews
"Rendered beautifully in ink and watercolor (naturally),You'll Be Sorryis a lighthearted look at the soggier side of being mean."--Birmingham Parentmagazine
"You'll be sorry . . . if you skip this book!"--A Gaggle of Book Reviewsblog Josh Schneider's first book for Clarion,You'll Be Sorry,was named "Book That Provides Best Ammunition to Parents Weary of Warning Their Kids About Socking Their Siblings" byPublishers Weeklymagazine. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.