Synopses & Reviews
Shhhh! Don't tell anyone about this mouth-watering book from the
New York Times bestselling creators of
Dragons Love Tacos!
How does Racoon love pizza? Oh, let him count the ways. He loves the gooey cheesy-ness, salty pepperoni-ness, sweet sweet tomato-ness, and of course the crispity crunchity crust. But someone is always chasing poor Raccoon away from his favorite food with a broom! What's a hungry raccoon to do? Plan an elaborate secret pizza party, of course!
But shhh! Its a secret! In fact, you should probably just forget I told you. Nope, no secret pizza party happening here.You didnt already tell all your friends, did you? Uh oh . . .
Fans of Jon Klassen and Mo Willems's humor will gobble up this quirky ode to the lengths we will go to for our heart's desire.
Praise for Dragons Love Tacos:
New York Times bestseller
A New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2012
"Rubin and Salmieri are two of the weirdest, funniest guys working in kids lit today. The team lets its geek flag fly in an obsessive how-to guide for would-be dragon taco party hosts. Why a taco party? As Rubin explains, 'The only things dragons love more than parties or tacos, is taco parties.' If further proof is required, Salmieriwhose poker-faced watercolor, gouache, and color pencil drawings set a benchmark for oddball observational humorshows one odd, scaly creature with a carryout bag from 'Taco Cave' and another beaming with anticipation as it eagerly circles the date for a taco party on its taco-themed calendar. But beware: even if all the tips and rules are followed to the letter (on quantity:'The best way to judge is to get a boat and fill the boat with tacos'), all will be for naught if spicy salsa makes its way into the taco filling. In fact, the dragons will bring a whole new meaning to 'housewarming.' Off-kilter fun for those who like their picture books (and salsa) zesty and fresh."Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Dragons Love Tacos is a heaping helping of silly. Little kids will relate to the anti-spicy bias and chuckle over Salmieri's watercolor and gouache cartoon illustrations showing literally boatloads of tacos and all sizes of dragons enjoying their favorite food at pool parties, costume parties and, well, taco parties." San Francisco Chronicle
"The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos." Kirkus Reviews
"The watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil cartoon illustrations are the real stars here. Regardless of, or perhaps because of, the absurdity of the story, this tale should be a big hit with anyone with an affinity for dragons." School Library Journal
Review
"This simple tale has a sneaky, edgy humor that erupts into hilarity as well as a warm, stabilizing feeling for humanity in all of its quirky manifestations. "Old Man Fookwire was so old that when he sneezed, dust came out. He was also a grump. He hated pie. He hated puppies. The only thing he liked was birds." This verbal introduction to the main character is enhanced with pantingsreminiscent of some of the best European childrens book illustrationsof an exaggeratedly skinny, flanned-shirted caricature with a long neck, long nose, oversized glasses, and protruding Adams apple. He never smiles, even when hes painting pictures of the birds that visit his yard every summer. In an attempt to keep the birds around when autumn arrives, he builds wonderful birdfeeders. They do indeed attract the birds-but they also catch the eye of the squirrels. The cheerful, brilliant, and adorable creatures are shown using pulleys, weights, and remarkable cooperative planning to foil Fookwire and raid the feeders. The old man fights back. But the squirrels, still smiling and hopeful, stay up all night for a planning meeting and devise a daring escapade that relies heavily on their deep understanding of physics and their willingness to be launched through the air. What happens to the squirrels, the birds, and to Old Man Fookwire is a symphony of regret, respect, and sweetness. Readers will want to linger over this book and treasure every page."--School Library Journal "Old Man Fookwire, a "grump" of the first order, hates everything, except for his birds. He paints their pictures and hopes his birdfeeder-bribe will convince them to avoid migration. Unfortunately, hoarding squirrelsthe “fuzzy little geniuses” of the forestdevour the birds allotment, even snatching the treats dangling high above a clothesline. Fookewire shakes his fist and shouts, “those darn squirrels!” An innovative laser obstacle course, however, stumps the scurrying rodents, but with their final bite, the birds migrate away, leaving Fookwire forlornand the squirrels repentantly determined to make it up to him, as only fuzzy little geniuses can. Rubins pithy text adds comedic flair, though it is Salmieris watercolor, gouache and colored pencil illustrations that hilariously carry the backyard shenanigans. Bald Fookwire is a riot as the agitation builds, with his beakish nose, elongated neck and wiry limbs, and the squirrels with their bloated bellies and contented smiles, are a flying hoot in this droll debut."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Review
Winner of a Borders Original Voices Award
A 2009 Children's Choice Award nominee
“Bald Fookwire is a riot. . . and the squirrels, with their bloated bellies and contented smiles, are a flying hoot in this droll debut.”—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“A symphony of regret, respect, and sweetness. Readers will want to linger over this book and treasure every page.”—School Library Journal
Synopsis
Witty text combines with quirky illustrations in this funny take on the classic man versus squirrel conflict over backyard birdfeeders. Full color.
Synopsis
From the creators of Dragons Love Tacos comes the story of what happens when a grumpy old man and some mischievous squirrels match wits--with hilarious results. Old Man Fookwire is a grump. The only thing he likes to do is paint pictures of the birds that visit his backyard. The problem is, they fly south every winter, leaving him sad and lonely. So he decides to get them to stay by putting up beautiful birdfeeders filled with seeds and berries. Unfortunately, the squirrels like the treats, too, and make a daring raid on the feeders. The conflict escalates--until the birds depart (as usual), and the squirrels come up with a plan that completely charms the old grump.
Synopsis
Little ones and grown-ups will giggle through multiple reads of Those Darn Squirrels
From the creators of Dragons Love Tacos comes the story of what happens when a grumpy old man and some mischievous squirrels match wits--with hilarious results.
Old Man Fookwire is a grump. The only thing he likes to do is paint pictures of the birds that visit his backyard. The problem is, they fly south every winter, leaving him sad and lonely.
So he decides to get them to stay by putting up beautiful bird feeders filled with seeds and berries. Unfortunately, the squirrels like the treats, too, and make a daring raid on the feeders. The conflict escalates--until the birds depart (as usual), and the squirrels come up with a plan that completely charms the old grump.
The three funny picture books in this series from Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri:
Those Darn SquirrelsThose Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next DoorThose Darn Squirrels Fly South
Synopsis
Old Man Fookwire is a grump. The only thing he likes to do is paint pictures of the birds that visit his backyard. The problem is, they fly south every winter, leaving him sad and lonely. So he decides to get them to stay by putting up beautiful birdfeeders filled with seeds and berries. Unfortunately, the squirrels like the treats, too, and make a daring raid on the feeders. The conflict escalatesuntil the birds depart (as usual), and the squirrels come up with a plan that completely charms the old grump.
About the Author
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Adam Rubin lives in Chicago, Illinois. Since the publication of Those Darn Squirrels!, he has become a major celebrity in the squirrel community.
Daniel Salmieri graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and lives in Brooklyn. He swears no squirrels were harmed in the making of this book. Visit him at www.danielsalmieri.com.