Chu's Day

It's always a treat when Neil Gaiman narrates his own work, and CHU'S DAY--a bite-sized nibble all of three minutes long--is no exception. Chu is a young panda with a truly impressive sneeze. Gaiman's voice is friendly while still maintaining a touch of the mysterious. He makes "There was old-book-dust in the air" sound like it could be the beginning of a spooky novel. His enthusiastic rendition of the windup to Chu's sneezes ("Aah- aaah- aaaah-") will have listeners of all ages giggling. Clever sound effects convey the result of Chu's sneeze, but listeners should be sure to seek out the picture book, too, to see Adam Rex's menagerie of rich, colorful animal illustrations. J.M.D. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 26, 2012
No wolves in the walls or button-eyed parents in this story about a baby panda named Chu. Yet Gaiman builds suspense from the enigmatic opening sentence (“When Chu sneezed, bad things happened”), which frames a portrait of the
roly-poly protagonist, decked out in a striped T-shirt, aviator cap, and goggles. Gaiman maximizes anxiety by having Chu visit a tranquil library (“There was old-book-dust in the air”) and a crowded diner (“There was a lot of pepper in the air”). Twice, Chu’s anxious parents ask, “Are you going to sneeze?” and itchy-nosed Chu—snapping his goggles over his eyes in preparation—does not follow through. That
evening, under a big top whose performing animals echo the menagerie in Rex’s Tree Ring Circus, Chu cannot resist, and his true power is revealed. Gaiman’s comic timing gets a boost from strategic book design and from Rex’s hyperreal paintings, which emphasize Chu’s round, fuzzy form and apparent harmlessness. Gaiman and Rex deliver a classic one-two-three punch, making hay from the notion that a cuddly baby panda is not to be trusted. Ages 4–8. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

November 15, 2012
A modest yet richly colorful day in the life of a small panda who may or may not sneeze, which may or may not be calamitous. "When Chu sneezed, bad things happened," portends the opening. Chu is an adorable panda kid in a striped T-shirt and aviator hat. Mellow white space surrounds him and his panda parents except when they arrive at the day's three destinations: the library, a diner and the circus. These settings are sumptuous spreads. Rex's oil paints showcase lights, darks and textures while populating the scenes with droll-looking animals and fine details to pore over. A circus turtle flies on a trapeze; library mice sit inside old-fashioned card-catalog drawers working on miniscule computers. Due to the library's "old-book-dust," Chu's mother knows to check: "Are you going to sneeze?"--"aah-aaah-Aaaah- / No, said Chu." That comical buildup and take back spreads across three pages, including a suspenseful page turn. At the circus, readers finally behold the power of a nasal expulsion. The climax is visually realistic yet dreamlike, with a nice, slyly deadpan ending that finds Chu's family somewhat better off than the rest of their town. The single problem with this book--potentially a deal breaker--is the use of this particular Chinese name for the sake of a sneeze pun. Weigh great art and clever story against the exploitation of the old, unfortunate cliche that Asian names sound funny. (Picture book. 2-5)

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January 1, 2013

PreS-K-A sweet, playful tale about a small panda with an extraordinary knack for inadvertently causing trouble. Chu's parents take him on several outings one day, frequently pausing to check that the youngster doesn't have to sneeze because, as the narrator warns, "When Chu sneezed, bad things happened." Though the dusty books at the library and pepper-infused air of a restaurant don't bring on a sneezing attack, the circus results in one that not only brings down the big-top tent, but also causes pandemonium throughout the town. Despite the simple story and unembellished text, there's more than enough in the art to keep readers engaged. A roly-poly panda in aviator glasses and a green-striped T-shirt, wide-eyed Chu cuts a comically endearing figure as he contorts his body and facial expressions in anticipation of a sneeze. The locations depicted in these richly saturated painted spreads have an old-fashioned flavor, and vintage touches are visible throughout: the pillbox hat his mother sports, card catalogs at the library, a gumball machine at the diner. These prim, orderly settings are the perfect setup for the chaos that Chu introduces, and there's a mischievous sense of humor that results from placing exotic anthropomorphic animals (squids, narwhals, giraffes, wombats) onto these decidedly conventional backdrops. While children will delight in seeing such a tiny creature wreak havoc, the story still concludes on a reassuring note, with Chu's parents gently tucking him in. A small but delightful dose of fun.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2012
Preschool-K This slight but cute picture book from New York Times best-selling author Gaiman introduces a little panda named Chu (as in the ending sound of a sneeze). Chu's sneezes cause bad things to happen, which is a problem when the tyke goes out in public. At the library, surrounded by a musty old-book smell, Chu's mother asks, Are you going to sneeze? He responds with an aah-aaah-Aaaah that is followed by No, ' says Chu. False alarm. At the diner with his father, there's pepper aplenty in the air, and Chu's father asks the big question, but it's also met with a no. While the joke perhaps doesn't go on long enough before the circus-themed punch line, kids will find the idea of a monstrous sneeze funny, and it may prompt some attempts of their own. Rex's richly detailed illustrations are brimming with fantastic touches, from teeny-tiny mice on their teeny-tiny computers (sitting in card catalog drawers!) to a koala bear acrobat at the circus to Chu's penchant for aviation goggles. Share this one at toddler storytime for lots of giggles, or one-on-one for spotting details in the art. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Anything Gaiman writes is noteworthy; after all, he is the New York Times best-selling author of The Graveyard Book (2008), winner of the Newbery award, and Coraline, among others.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)