Baby's First Bank Heist

April 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-Animal-obsessed baby Frank longs for a pet, but his parents feel that owning one is prohibitively costly. While Frank is at a bank with his mom, the solution becomes clear-to fund his dream of keeping a "furry friend," Frank just needs to rob the place! Conveniently clad in a black-and-white striped onesie, the little criminal dons a bandit mask and sneaks past the bank's impressive security defenses. Cramming his suit full of bills, he rides the bus with his mom, and all of the passersby except a dog are oblivious to the comically oversize infant. Once home, he buys a host of animals off the Internet and conceals them in increasingly unlikely spots. "There were leopards in his cupboards and a beaver in the bath. And Frank was really struggling to hide his new giraffe." The jig is up, however, once Frank's mom finds "a rhino in the shed" and discovers Frank's secret stash. To recompense the bank in full, the family opens a zoo in their home, with baby Frank happy at last, "behind bars." Whalley's jaunty verse is a delight to read aloud, and the deadpan tone is deftly fleshed out by Collins's playful gouache-and-ink cartoon illustrations. The lovable googly-eyed protagonist and a plethora of silly details will tickle sharp-eyed readers. VERDICT A hilarious British import, light on the moral but heavy on the fun, that merits many repeat readings.-Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2018
Baby Frank wants a pet, and the only way he can get one is by robbing a bank.Frank loves animals, but his parents refuse to get him a pet--they are too expensive to keep. While doing errands with his mom, Frank realizes the only way to get money to buy and care for a pet is to rob a bank. So he crawls past the guards and lasers at the bank and stuffs his black-and-white-striped onesie suit with bills and coins. He purchases a pet meerkat online and hides her in his room--but that's just the start. Soon his animal shopping gets out of control, and Frank is caught hiding a rhino. His family has to pay back the bank, so they open a zoo in their home and backyard and charge admission. In the end, Frank understands stealing is wrong, and he spends his time at the zoo leading tours and cleaning up poop. The story is silly and imaginative. Written in rhyme, this book has great rhythm and flow, making it an excellent read-aloud. Although there is punishment for Frank's actions, the story leaves plenty of room to have conversations about stealing, consequences, and keeping wild animals as pets. Collins' somewhat-retro mixed-media illustrations add life to the story, maximizing the silliness of a bald, white baby not yet able to walk who is also a criminal mastermind.Overall, a bubbly and imaginatively illustrated read-aloud. (Picture book. 3-6)

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