Poetry - Rhymes, Nursery Rhymes & Fingerplays, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Alphabet

Old Black Fly

Name: Old Black Fly
Author: Jim Aylesworth
ISBN: 9780805039245

by Jim Aylesworth, Stephen Gammell

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Overview

Nothing drives a family crazy faster than an old black fly on a hot summer day, especially when the family's a little crazy already. And this fly is as bad as they come! He knows every lowdown trick in the book--and won't rest until he's gone through them all. Full color. 32 pp. 50,000 print.

Rhyming text and illustrations follow a mischievous old black fly through the alphabet as he has a very busy bad day landing where he should not be.

Synopsis

"Aylesworth’s buoyant, rhythmic verse provides inspiration for a wondrous evolution of Gammell’s style.... Sheer delight for eyes, ears, and funny-bones."

—Kirkus Reviews, pointer

Publishers Weekly

PW dubbed this rhythmic journey through the alphabet on the back of a pesky housefly an ``ebullient picture-book romp,'' lauding the ``waggish presentation of a basic concept.'' Ages 4-7. (Mar.)

About the Author, Jim Aylesworth

Jim Aylesworth taught the first grade for more than twenty years. He has written more than twenty books for young readers, including My Son John and McGraw's Emporium. He lives in Hinsdale, Illinois, with his wife.

Stephen Gammell has illustrated many books for children. He won the Caldecott Medal for Song and Dance Man. Stephen Gammell lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Reviews

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Editorials

From Barnes & Noble

This boisterous rhyming alphabet book begs to be sung aloud. An old black fly buzzes around and gets into everything, from an Apple pie to mama's Yarn, until--splat!--this fly will Zzz no more! Stephen Gammell's messy illustrations swirl all over the page, just like a pesky fly.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PW dubbed this rhythmic journey through the alphabet on the back of a pesky housefly an ``ebullient picture-book romp,'' lauding the ``waggish presentation of a basic concept.'' Ages 4-7. (Mar.)

Children's Literature - Jan Lieberman

What makes a good picture book? The answer: Begin with something common like the problem of a pesky fly inside the house. Twist and turn it into a rhyme scheme with an ABC base. Color it with wild dashes of exuberant paints that depict the helter skelter adventures of the fly and the effect of the fly on the family. Add a tuneful refrain and call it something simple like Old Black Fly and chant each line as though it were a song. What do you have? A sure-fire hit. 1995 orig.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

A familiar and very popular book, Old Black Fly has also been issued as a board book. In this amusing story, a fly takes an alphabetical tour, landing on a variety of things he shouldn't until he meets with a most untidy end. Kids will enjoy the humor, repetition, the messy paintings that remind one of Jackson Pollack canvases and the very colorful and explosive ending. Rollicking fun for everyone. 1998 (orig.

Children's Literature - Mary Quattlebaum

In addition to a strong rhythm, young children often enjoy a certain playful subversiveness in the story. And in Aylesworth's lauded alphabet book, the author dishes up an annoying black fly that succeeds in pestering every member of a large household and finally meets his comeuppance. Children delight in shouting out the refrain of "Shoo fly!/Shoo fly!/Shoo!" as the fly buzzes through each letter of the alphabet. Gammell's illustrations render well the bright chaos wreaked by that one stubborn fly.

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin

With Stephen Gammell's exuberant paintings to look at and the melody of "Buffalo Girls won't you come out tonight...," to sing to, Jim Aylesworth's Old Black Fly is a jolly experience-even when insects aren't on the agenda!

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-- A pesky fly turns a household inside out in this rollicking tale. ``He ate on the crust of the A pple pie./He bothered the B aby and made her cry./ Shoo fly! Shoo fly! Shooo.'' This fly is on an alphabetical rampage through the house, leaving destruction in his wake as he flits from the C ookie to the D og to the E ggs to the F rosting, and so on to a final, satisfying ``Swat!'' Aylesworth's funny, rhythmic chant is strong enough to stand alone. Add Gammell's spattery, jumpy illustrations, splashed with color, alive with movement, line, and humor, and what emerges is a book that's sure to become a classic. To be enjoyed at home as a lapbook, to be read aloud with relish at story times, to be chanted again and again and again! --Gail C. Ross, Baltimore County Public Library

From the Publisher

"Aylesworth’s buoyant, rhythmic verse provides inspiration for a wondrous evolution of Gammell’s style.... Sheer delight for eyes, ears, and funny-bones."
--Kirkus Reviews, pointer