Looking for a funny picture book?

Imogene’s Antlers

written and illustrated by David Small.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers/Random House
ISBN-13: 978-0375810480

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Looking for a funny, laugh-out-loud picture book? Check out Imogene’s Antlers by David Small. It is SO funny, and has beautiful illustrations! It’s written and illustrated by David Small.

The story goes into fantasy–a little girl, Imogene, wakes up one morning with antlers. At first she encounters some problems (getting dressed, getting out the door), but then she also discovers some fun–hanging donuts off the antlers, feeding birds that way, having her mother faint. Imogene clearly enjoys her new experience. I think kids will delight in the adults’ reactions–her mother fainting away (twice), the principal getting bugged, the doctor unable to find anything wrong.

The text is beautiful–just enough to tell the story, but not overdoing it. Short sentences that tell us so much. I wish more writers wrote like this. And the illustrations! They are gorgeous–so full of life, light-hearted and happy, fun and funny.

The ending is also a delight–when it appears that the next morning, Imogene has been “cured”–only to see that she’s got a huge peacock’s tail attached. This is a funny, feel-good book. It’s one of those books I think both children and adults will enjoy.

I highly recommend it.

source: review copy from the publisher, in exchange for an *honest* review. (I do not review books I don’t like.)

December 11th, 2010