After more than 250 reviews, we finally get our first Richard Scarry story.
THREE PROS
*Each picture does a good job of getting the point across while injecting some age-appropriate fun
*Covers a good range of colors
*Lists a fairly wide variety of everyday items that are ignored by other books, though perhaps too many foods and modes of transport
*Lists a fairly wide variety of everyday items that are ignored by other books, though perhaps too many foods and modes of transport
THREE CONS
*The names Scarry chose for his animals are not only stupid, but they make reading the text super confusing (Pig Won't, Bananas Gorilla, Huckle Cat... kill me)
*Ending any color spectrum story with brown seems suspect, and compounding it with the closing phrase "Mud is brown (and) sticky too" metaphorically confirmed for me the rating it ultimately deserves
*Ending any color spectrum story with brown seems suspect, and compounding it with the closing phrase "Mud is brown (and) sticky too" metaphorically confirmed for me the rating it ultimately deserves
*Why would he choose to illustrate a tire by drawing what looks like a black zero on a piece of paper instead of just sketching a tire
ONE DAD'S OPINION
Talk about blasts from the past... This guy was huge back in my original picture book reading days. So, while I don't remember any of the awful character names, their faces immediately brought back (neutral) memories. There's something about the way he drew them (especially Lowly the snake), that sticks in little heads, regardless of generation. From that perspective, I could never give it the Destroy that my wife desired after finishing it the first time. And I believe even she would admit that it's not all bad if pressed on the subject. Still, her instincts aren't that far off, because RSC tends to be a weird read, whether out loud or silently. Think of it like a burnt sienna shag carpet in your basement -- a relic from a bygone era that provides some comfort, but not the kind of thing you would willingly show off to your houseguests.
Buy / Borrow / DONATE / Destroy
ONE DAD'S OPINION
Talk about blasts from the past... This guy was huge back in my original picture book reading days. So, while I don't remember any of the awful character names, their faces immediately brought back (neutral) memories. There's something about the way he drew them (especially Lowly the snake), that sticks in little heads, regardless of generation. From that perspective, I could never give it the Destroy that my wife desired after finishing it the first time. And I believe even she would admit that it's not all bad if pressed on the subject. Still, her instincts aren't that far off, because RSC tends to be a weird read, whether out loud or silently. Think of it like a burnt sienna shag carpet in your basement -- a relic from a bygone era that provides some comfort, but not the kind of thing you would willingly show off to your houseguests.
Buy / Borrow / DONATE / Destroy
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