Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 9780802796844]

Gimme Cracked Corn and I will Share

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Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 9780802796844]

Book Review

Publishers Weekly :

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Starred Review. The title of this cornball book offers a clue that a wealth of puns will be contained within, and O'Malley (Slugs in Love) doesn't miss a trick. Just about every pun imaginable about corn or chickens can be found in this story about Chicken's search for a buried treasure of cracked corn. When he tells his friend George about the great pink pig under which he believes the treasure is buried, George responds, What are you—a comedi-hen? George gets most of the book's one-liners, but O'Malley's watercolor and ink illustrations provide at least half of the fun. The expressions on the characters' faces are priceless, as when Chicken and George unexcitedly wait for the stoplight to change as the narrator says, How did the chickens cross the road? you ask. They crossed at the light. Chicken dances across the book jacket with corncob Rockettes, and even the barnyard horse grins at his own silly joke. I guess this trip was a waste, says George. Because it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. O'Malley's verbal hijinks and rib-tickling artwork will provide readers with egg-stremely egg-ceptional giggles. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)

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School Library Journal :

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Starred Review. Gr 2–4—Fans of corny humor and "punny yolks" will welcome this tale. When Chicken dreams of buried corn, he and his friend George set off to find the stash. As they search, they crack jokes and trade puns. Eventually, the hunt leads them back home where the treasure is in their own backyard. The narrative could be read straight through since it is written in small type and the jokes are in balloons; however, it often takes a backseat to the chickens' dialogue. The unique illustrations are a combination of pen, ink, and Photoshop. The dark intensity of the full-page artwork is highlighted by a white border on each page. Black cross-hatching creates an interesting texture in the nighttime scenes. Although the corn is called "cracked corn," the pictures are all ears. O'Malley includes a disclaimer, explaining that ears were visually more interesting. The juxtaposition of the narrative and the comic routine makes this more appropriate for independent reading than for storytimes.—Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

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Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 0802796842] Book Review
: BookList :

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It would be hard to find a book cornier than this. O'Malley has found plenty of jokes about corn, fowl, and eggs to trim this tale of a chicken who dreams of cracked corn and follows that dream to a pig's barn, where he believes some to be hidden. Along the way, the chicken and a pal cross the road, avoid a pastry shop (eggs are beaten there), and ultimately resign themselves to the fact the trip isn't all it was cracked up to be. But then they come up with a new way to find corn (other than in the humor). The fun is divided between the truly terrible jokes (best gotten by a crowd slightly older than the preschool set) and the eye-popping artwork executed in ink with PhotoShop used for placing color. Much of the art has the look of woodcuts, with an appealing heft and depth to it; but throughout, the stars are the goofy looking chickens who continue their intrepid travels even though the timing is bad: It's fry-day. Cooper, Ilene.

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