Good Thing You're Not an Octopus!

by Julie Markes, Maggie Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow one little boy through his day as he playfully considers how mealtime, bath time, nap time, and many other activities would be different if he was a bird, a tiger a shark, or any number of baby animals. At the end of the day, he realizes that the best thing to be is himself!

About the Authors:
This is Julie Markes's first book for children. She lives in New York City.

Maggie Smith is the author and illustrator of several books for children. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060284657
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/28/2001
Edition description:	1 ED
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	216,639
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.34(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Julie Markes lives with her husband, Eric Schine, and their two sons, Charlie and Nicholas, in Brooklyn, New York. Her books include Thanks For Thanksgiving; I Can't Talk Yet, But When I Do ...; Good Thing You're Not An Octopus!; Sidewalk 123; and Sidewalk.

Maggie Smith thinks it's a good thing she's not an octopus—it would be too hard to draw underwater! She is the author and illustrator of There's a Witch Under the Stairs, Counting Our Way to Maine, Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon, and other titles. Ms. Smith lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"You do not like to brush your teeth? It is a good thing you're not a shark. If you were a shark, you could have two hundred teeth to brush." Patterned language and repetition of form encourage children to join in by calling and responding. This is followed by a comparison with the animal kingdom that makes the child's activity seem not so bad after all. Summary pages at the conclusion show a child enthusiastically getting dressed, going for a ride, eating lunch, taking a nap, taking a bath, and brushing teeth. "PHEW!" Maggie Smith's lively illustrations include stuffed animals, and toys and/or books about animals later discussed by the narrator. Some sentences could be tighter. Julie Markes' first picture book is great for story time. 2001, HarperCollins Publishers, and Ages 2 to 4.
—Mary B. Bauer <%ISBN%>006028465X

Children's Literature

PreS-A delightful romp with a little boy who is reluctant to do those daily activities that are part of a preschooler's learning experience. As readers follow him and his stuffed frog through the day, comparisons to various animals are drawn. As he struggles to get dressed, the narrative reads, "If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put in your pants!" The accompanying illustration shows an exasperated octopus looking troubled at his attempt to accomplish this feat. Other comparisons include a caterpillar trying to put on 16 shoes, a shark brushing 200 teeth, and a bear having to nap all winter long. All conclude with the refrain, "It's a good thing you're not a-." In the end, the preschooler's challenges are summed up with "It's a good thing you're you!" Just enough science information for preschoolers to absorb is presented simply and entertainingly and Smith's watercolor illustrations in bright, bold colors are whimsical and charming. The ridiculousness of the animals in the boy's situation will not be lost on this age group and will prompt laughter all around.-Patti Gonzales, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

PLB: 0-06-028466-8 First-time author Markes's impish tale will tickle tiny funny bones. Burdensome tasks seem a lot less onerous to a young boy when he considers the alternatives. Focusing on mundane happenings in a toddler's typical day, Markes touches on a host of classic toddler power struggles: getting dressed, submitting to the confines of a car seat, and the dreaded bedtime, with its attendant traumas of brushing teeth and taking a bath. However, a quick peek at the animal kingdom provides the recalcitrant tot with all the motivation he needs to determine that the grass is greener on his side of the fence. Loathe naptime? Just think, Markes cautions readers,"If you were a bear, you would have to nap all winter long!" Preschoolers will delight in the unabashedly silly animal/human comparisons, and may even learn a little something too. For instance, donning one pair of shoes seems a breeze in comparison to a caterpillar's whopping 16 tootsies that would need to be shod. Smith's (Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon, 2000, etc.) lighthearted, full-color illustrations provide a perfect comic counterpart to the outlandish tale. Each topic culminates in a full-bleed, two-page illustration depicting both the human and animal youngsters engaged in similar activities, with uproariously funny results. A wonderfully droll way to diffuse toddler tantrums, this should be tucked into every diaper bag. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews