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Overview
A brand-new monster twist--by a Caldecott medalist and his daughter!There was an old monster who swallowed a tick I don't know why he swallowed that tick
'Cause it made him feel sick!
When he swallowed some ants, he danced in his pants. He swallowed a lizard, a bat, a jackal, and a bear. Then he tried to swallow a lion . . . ROAR!--Now that monster is no more! Children will laugh along with the funny text, bright bold illustrations, and delightful song (available on the Scholastic website).
Synopsis
There was an old monster who swallowed a tick
I don't know why he swallowed that tick
'Cause it made him feel sick!
When he swallowed some ants, he danced in his pants. He swallowed a lizard, a bat, a jackal, and a bear. Then he tried to swallow a lion . . . ROAR!--Now that monster is no more! Children will laugh along with the funny text, bright bold illustrations, and delightful song (available on the Scholastic website).
Publishers Weekly
Another Emberley gets into the book-creating act with this takeoff on the cumulative song, “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly,” which features jaunty rhymes yet an intermittently bumpy rhythm. Songwriter Adrian, Rebecca's daughter and Ed's granddaughter, collaborated on the music (the song will be available for download from Scholastic's Web site). The splotchy purple monster's initial snack—a tick—doesn't agree with him (“I don't know why/ he swallowed the tick/ 'cause it made him feel sick”), and the ants he ingests to catch the tick “had him dancing in his pants.” After downing a lizard, bat, jackal and bear, the monster feels “like he was dyin',” so he tries to swallow a lion—an attempt that doesn't end well. Stylized computer-scanned collage art amplifies the narrative's inanity, portraying the monster (and the accumulating contents of his belly) with electric hues against a black background. Timid readers may find the wild-eyed monster and sharp-toothed lion scary, but most will hone their sense of schadenfreude on the creature's exaggerated discomfort and find this creepy, crawly fun. Ages 3–5. (July)
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Another Emberley gets into the book-creating act with this takeoff on the cumulative song, “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly,” which features jaunty rhymes yet an intermittently bumpy rhythm. Songwriter Adrian, Rebecca's daughter and Ed's granddaughter, collaborated on the music (the song will be available for download from Scholastic's Web site). The splotchy purple monster's initial snack—a tick—doesn't agree with him (“I don't know why/ he swallowed the tick/ 'cause it made him feel sick”), and the ants he ingests to catch the tick “had him dancing in his pants.” After downing a lizard, bat, jackal and bear, the monster feels “like he was dyin',” so he tries to swallow a lion—an attempt that doesn't end well. Stylized computer-scanned collage art amplifies the narrative's inanity, portraying the monster (and the accumulating contents of his belly) with electric hues against a black background. Timid readers may find the wild-eyed monster and sharp-toothed lion scary, but most will hone their sense of schadenfreude on the creature's exaggerated discomfort and find this creepy, crawly fun. Ages 3–5. (July)Children's Literature -
Author/illustrator Ed Emberley is well known to all who are familiar with books for children. In this new approach to the old tale, I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, daughter Rebecca has written a new set of lyrics. Rebecca and Adrian composed the music. The website for downloading a free copy of the song is listed at the beginning of the book. On black and purple pages that use red and yellow type, the tale of a monster that swallowed a tick that makes him sick unfolds. Trying to feel better, he swallows a variety of creatures, including ants, a lizard, a bat, a jackal, a bear, and a lion. Of course, nothing helps, and the lion makes short work of the monster. The illustrations are wonderful, as they combine vivid colors and collage to create a large orange horned, bug eyed monster, fuchsia ants, and a sharp-toothed, purple-clawed lion that swallowed the whole menagerie. Youngsters will delight in participating in this rollicking adventure, whether at story hour or when singing along with the downloaded CD. Definitely add this delightful book to the collection. Reviewer: Sylvia FirthSchool Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2
In a retelling of the classic cumulative tune "I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly," a googly-eyed purple monster consumes a panoply of colorful critters (ants, a tick, a lizard, a bat, a jackal, a bear) until he meets his match-and end-in a lion. The neon-bright artwork on jet black backgrounds pops off the pages as the monster and his wriggly comestibles whirl across the spreads. The Emberleys invite readers into the action by depicting the monster's ever-expanding stomach with its jam-packed contents in a ploy sure to elicit lots of delighted grimaces from children. Individual readers will pore over the illustrations and enjoy the repetition in the text while the large pictures make this a natural to share with groups. With the song provided as a free download at the publisher's Web site, this jazzy crowd-pleaser will have kids begging for repeat reads.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI