Synopsis
For any kid who has heard “Get outside and play,” and for any parent who has said it.
I can’t believe Mom made me stop my video game to get some fresh air. Stupid outside.
At least the guys are here. Their moms made them come outside, too.
That shouldn’t be too hard. Maybe I’ll finally get lucky. It’ll fall any second.
- Like O’Malley’s acclaimed Straight to the Pole, this book is pithy and funny, perfect for readers of all levels and ages.
- The topic—playing video games versus playing outdoors— is explored in a way that is satisfying to both parents and children.
- Once again, O’Malley showcases his knack for relating to modern kids, and his new illustration style will win over more readers to his fan club.
- With an intuitive understanding of young boys’ psyches, O’Malley has created an ideal book for dads and sons to enjoy together
Publishers Weekly
O'Malley (Straight to the Pole) comes out with a new seasonally appropriate adventure starring an obstinate protagonist. Rendered in semi-comic book style with digitally colored ink outlines and text balloons, the opening scenes portray a boy sitting on an oversize armchair, playing a video game ("I'm beating level 20!" he cries, maniacally), when an unseen parent yells, "Okay, mister. Turn it off. Get outside and play." After protesting to no avail, the boy and his dog head into the breezy fall afternoon. Enormous, puffy clouds roll across the sky and fiery leaves illuminate trees and the ground beneath them-all met by the boy's pithy synopsis, "Stupid outside." He runs into two friends who share his fate, and they come upon a tree with one leaf remaining-a leaf that, they agree, will be lucky to whomever catches it. Frame after frame passes, and eventually the other boys give up. Buried under a pile of leaves ("I think it knows we're here. Let's hide," he tells his dog), the boy-with his pet's help-pops up in time for the lucky prize to land on his cap. A final twist shows that the boy's persistence does not result, appropriately enough, from a newfound appreciation of nature's glory. O'Malley delivers another triumph for the kids who have to be dragged kicking and screaming away from their action figures and video games. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.