Synopses & Reviews
Aliens have landed on Willy's farm, and they're not leaving without a square dance and a square meal! So fire up that grill, lay on the barbeque sauce, and snatch up that fiddle. Told in verse, this rollicking story puts a twist on the typical encounter with the third kind. Adam McCauley's out-of-this-world illustrations match Kathy Duval's hoe-down rhymes like ribs and taters! Get ready for some extraterrestrial, lip-smacking fun.
Review
K-Gr 2 While tending his grill, an unsuspecting Willy is visited by "some colored lights from outer space," and three-eyed, little green men wearing spurs appear and apparently have a craving for some chili. With a knee-slappin' rhythm, the occasional hitch in the rhyme scheme, and a few too many gratuitous "yippee ki-yee's," Willy rustles up some grub and plays the fiddle till his guests drop. Then he pulls the ol' switcheroo and takes their ship for a ride. The final pages show Willy throwin' down at his very own BBQ joint on their home planet while the aliens tend his turnips. McCauley's illustrations use rich desert colors and comic proportions to play up the wacky story line. The recipe for "Willy's Out of This World Barbecue Sauce" might inspire a tasty food-themed program. Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH--SLJ
Review
Plumb tired after a heck of a workday, Willy's a-fixing to grill himself up some ribs when a flying saucer causes a ruckus by lowering over his desert shack. "Cat's meowin', cow's a lowin'. / Dog's a-howlin', chicken's GLOWIN'!" Out scampers a big mess of "greenies"-three-eyed aliens drawn by that heavenly smell. "We don't want your leader, Willy, / Just your barbecue and chili." Down the hatch go the ribs (the cowboy hat tastes pretty good with hot sauce, too), but while the greenies are stomping their boots along to Willy's fiddle, Willy sneaks aboard the ship and takes off across the galaxy-a three-page foldout tracks his progress-to enjoy sweet success as the owner of Willy's BBQ on an alien planet. Duval has a darned good time mixing up a stew of western and sci-fi tropes, while McCauley marshals his watercolors into earth tones for the desert and pastels for the UFO lights. Occasional wordless spreads let readers bask in the goofiness, and a recipe for Willy's Out of This World Barbecue Sauce concludes. - Daniel Kraus--Booklist
Review
Many people boast that their barbecue is out of this world, but Willy's fine-smelling and lip-smacking meal attracts visitors from outer space. McCauley chooses a sweltering palette of yellow, brown and peach to cast the hardworking farmer on a hot Texas day. Observant readers will spot the flying saucer approaching as twilight falls. Soon, the inky black of space descends with the spaceship: "Some colored lights from outer space / Are lightin' up the whole dang place!" Here, pastel shots of color serve to spotlight the alarmed animals of the farm, while a sinuous, pale yellow, wavy band of smoke wafts through the scene. The amazing aroma has drawn the "small green men" out to sample the fare and dance a "DO-SI-DO a-fore [they] go." They claim, "We don't want your leader, Willy, / Just your BARBECUE and chili." Duval chooses just the right amount of Texas twang to spice up the lively rhyming text. But soon, the aliens have taken over like unwanted party guests. They have had fun, wreaked some havoc and left the farm damaged. So Willy and his pet cat and dog board the UFO. A gatefold opens to show a map of their travels in space. The other side reveals the destination-a planet where various ET's are enjoying a meal and some music at Willy's new restaurant. The knee-slapping humor, retro feel of the illustrations and the included recipe for Willy's special sauce serve up some spicy preschool fun. (Picture book. 3-6)--Kirkus
About the Author
Kathy Duval is the author of
The Three Bears' Christmas, a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and
The Three Bears' Halloween, both illustrated by Paul Meisel. She lives in Texas and recommends keeping a supply of green chili BBQ sauce on hand...just in case. Visit her at www.kathyduval.com.
Adam McCauley (www.adammccauley.com) has illustrated several books for children including Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar, Jon Sciezska's Time Warp Trio series, and Oh No, Not Ghosts! by Richard Michelson. He received the Society of Illustrator's Gold Medal for his work on The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme by Bobbi Katz. He lives in San Francisco, CA. When he's not riding around in his UFO, Adam loves to barbeque.