Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too

March 3, 2014
Nelly Gnu, a classmate to Dewdney’s mercurial Llama Llama, steps out on her own in this father-daughter outing. Nelly is far calmer than Llama Llama, so there isn’t any real “llama drama” (or would that be “gnu ado”?) in this story, which has Nelly and her father building a cardboard playhouse, then heading to the hardware store for supplies to decorate it. It’s there that the story’s only moment of alarm takes place: running to retrieve a dropped toy, Nelly gets separated from Daddy Gnu, a situation that’s quickly resolved when he scoops her up on the following page. (Dewdney offers a reassuring father’s-eye view of the reunion, creating a real sense of relief on Nelly’s part.) The cheery rhymes and thickly painted artwork are in line with the look and mood of Dewdney’s Llama Llama books, always emphasizing the warm bond between father and daughter. Nelly never gets much of a chance to exhibit much personality, though; more than anything, this is a Father’s Day–ready vehicle to showcase an involved and attentive parent. Ages 3–5. Agent: Deborah Warren, East-West Literary Agency.

April 1, 2014
Fans of the Llama Llama series can rejoice--best-selling author Dewdney is back with another one, this time featuring Nelly Gnu and her ever helpful daddy. Having made her first appearance in Llama Llama, Time to Share (2012), Nelly is back and quite industrious as she and her father work together to build a playhouse. Rhyming couplets cheerily describe the activity: "A great big box, some tape and string-- / Daddy can make anything! // First they measure. Then they draw. / Nelly tapes, and Daddy saws." As the project takes shape, Nelly decides that the playhouse needs some decorating. Off the pair goes to get paint and brushes at the store. Nelly laughs as she rides high on Daddy's shoulders, and she is amazed at all the colors of paint she sees on the shelves. Amid the hustle and bustle, Nelly suddenly loses sight of her father and has a moment of panic. The full-bleed spread of Nelly alone in a sea of shoppers, viewed from above, brings emotional heft to the otherwise innocuous preschool story. But the page turn reveals Nelly in close-up, being embraced by the two strong arms of her dad. All ends well as they complete their special day painting "the house with brick designs. / Big bright flowers, climbing vines." Dewdney clearly knows her audience and delivers an engaging story illustrated with a rainbow of vibrant hues that preschoolers will love. Here's hoping there will be more adventures with Nelly and her family. (Picture book. 3-6)

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November 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-Move over, Mama Llama, it's Daddy Gnu's turn to shine! This book features Llama Llama's best friend, Nelly Gnu, as she and her father spend some quality time together. The arrival of a new high chair and playpen for Baby Gnu means large, empty cardboard boxes in the living room, and Daddy Gnu knows just what to do with them. He and his daughter put their heads together and transform the boxes into a perfect playhouse for Nelly. They measure, draw, cut, and glue. "But Nelly thinks it's not quite done.../It needs some flowers, just a few./Time to shop with Daddy Gnu." They head off to the hardware store and buy some paint and brushes and a mini flashlight. They "paint the house with brick designs./Big bright flowers, /climbing vines," then clean up, and, yes, Daddy cooks dinner and reads stories, too. He really is a dream come true. The big, bold paintings are full of warm, homey details, and the animal characters have loads of charm. Who knew that gnus were so adorable?-Luann Toth, School Library Journal

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