Another laugh-out-loud funny book by Adam Rex

Tree Ring Circus
Written and illustrated by Adam Rex
Harcourt, 2006

Let’s start with the cover, shall we? The title is illustrated like a Barnum and Bailey circus billboard. But then one begins to notice all of the strange things up in the bare tree on the front cover. The title page is made to look like an advertisement for the circus, complete with teasers for the author’s performance: “Written and illustrated by Adam Rex as he was bound and suspended one hundred feet above the Earth over a pit of flaming tigers.” This page alone will make the over 8 crowd take a look at this book.

The story begins with a seed in the ground and a tree that grows with only a handful of leaves on it. At first a few birds, a big bee, and a squirrel end up in the tree. Not so unusual (except for the big bee). Then a clown shows up because he has escaped from the circus. The circus shows up, looking for the clown, and in the meantime, all of the other animals escape too. Now the tree is holding a lion, a polar bear, a monkey, a tiger, and more!

You could enjoy this book on pictures alone, but much of the text looks like the announcements for the circus, proclaiming the next amazing thing you will see.

The tree is okay until an elephant climbs up too. Then the tree falls down. The plot is very predictable which makes it a gem for young readers because they can anticipate what is about to happen. But the humor and details Rex adds in makes this book appealing to older readers as well.

Perfect pacing, wonderful illustrating, a laugh-out-loud funny book!

The True Meaning of Smekday

The True Meaning of Smekday
By Adam Rex

Hyperion 2007

Once again, this is another Rex title that I just couldn’t resist. The man can come up with some titles! I was intrigued.

The True Meaning of Smekday begins with a girl writing about the invasion of aliens on Earth. Gratuity Tucci’s whole life is different since the Boov (name of the weird looking aliens) came to America. First, they took her mom, then they sent everyone in America to Florida. Gratuity is on her own. Gratuity is looking back on the recent events and writes them down in an essay for school. The government is looking for essays from kids on the Smekday holiday to be placed in a time capsule. Smekday is the day that the aliens landed and took over the United States. Gratuity befriends a Boov and makes a cross-country journey with him.

I’m not big on science fiction, but this one definitely has kid-appeal. It has the occasional picture, a few elements of a graphic novel thrown in, and has funny talking aliens.

My only problem with this book was the length. And I think the length wouldn’t have bothered me if the story was broken up into chapters. There are no chapter breaks, just three different sections of the story. Since the book is over 400 pages, it makes a lengthy read without chapter breaks. I hope that Adam Rex tries a graphic novel.

This book was a finalist for the Cybils science fiction/fantasy category for Elementary and Middle Grade.

Read 7-Imps Interview with Adam Rex.

The True Meaning of (the word) Smekday

Adam Rex has posted over at his blog that Google now recognizes the word Smekday. You know, it no longer wonders if he spelled it right. I think that's because so many bloggers are reviewing and linking, etc, etc. I've been holding on to my review about The True Meaning of Smekday in order to do a whole Adam Rex week, but I think I'll post it tonight in honor of Smekday officially becoming a word (according to Google).

Pssst! I have a great new picture book to recommend!

Pssst!

written and illustrated by Adam Rex

Harcourt, 2007

Adam Rex must be a master of titles and intrigue. His latest title The True Meaning of Smekday makes me say HUH? And this book's title makes me say HMM! His book Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich made me order it the title alone.

Pssst! is such an interactive, fun book to read. A little girl takes a trip to the zoo, and as she goes to each animals, they say PSSST to her. In some places it reads like a comic strip with several little boxes on a page and speech bubbles to indicate who is speaking.

The little girl is shocked when each animal makes a special request for items. The items seem strange, so she sometimes questions why they need these things. For example, the bats ask her to bring them flashlights. She wonders why bats need flashlights if they love the dark. It's the hippo that lives near them that doesn't really like the dark. The turkeys ask for corn. They don't want to eat the corn, they want to use it for clean burning fuel.

The book is filled with text in speech bubbles as the animals and the girl talk to each other. But even more intriguing is the text that occurs in signs in the zoo.

This is a romping good read aloud. Young children will want to say PSSST along with you every time a new animal appears. Older kids will get more of the clues along the way and also enjoy reading the writing that is in the signs.

What's even more surprising is what the animals do with all of the items that they requested. The little girl brings the items back and they make a get-away vehicle with the items! Even my 3 year old "got it" when I turned to the last page. We've spent a lot of time laughing over this book.

PSSST! This would make a great Christmas gift for children 3 and up!

PSSST! This book has been nominated for the Cybils in the fiction picture book category.

PSSST! Adam Rex has a blog!