Pardon Me!

April 7, 2014
Miyares (Bambino and Mr. Twain), in his first outing as both author and artist, follows in the footsteps of Jon Klassen, dispatching an obnoxious protagonist via the food chain. A tiny, crabby parrot settles contentedly on a smooth rise in the middle of a swamp. But then an egret lands, too, with a “Pardon me” (“Well, I suppose I can’t stop you,” the parrot snaps). A frog jumps on, a turtle joins them, then a fox yells from shore, “Pardon me, but you’re sitting on a...” This is one interruption too many; the parrot, narrow-eyed with rage, blows a gasket: “Now leave me alone!” Everybody clears out, and the full import of the fox’s words becomes clear as an alligator’s eyes rise above the water. A page turn delivers the kicker (“Burp!”), after which the alligator slyly looks out at readers with a polite, “Pardon me.” Digital media techniques allow Miyares to produce fine textures for feathers, fur, and the parrot’s wrinkly eyes, but the greatest impact comes from the electric colors and tight, exciting close-ups. A winning, mischievous read-
aloud. Ages 4–8. Agency: Studio Goodwin Sturges.

May 1, 2014
"The Gingerbread Boy" meets "The Mitten" in this tale of a self-centered (and doomed) protagonist squawking about an increasingly crowded setting.The digital mixed-media sky is blue, and the clouds are puffy as a yellow bird descends to a deserted dry patch of ground in the pond. The peace is short-lived; a shadow blocks the sun, and a heron descends, followed by a frog and a turtle-each uttering the titular phrase, much to the vocal and graceless annoyance of the grumpy bird. When a fox begins to speak, readers may assume this is the end-or that he is about to echo the others-but the rude protagonist sends the animals scurrying with this interruption: "WELL, PARDON ME, BUT THIS IS MY PERCH, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!" As night falls, he achieves ultimate rest when the "land mass" rises, and the crocodile he's been sitting on has the last "pardon"-a burp. This one-trick book is entertaining enough on the first read: The contrast between the warm and cool palettes as the action ascends and descends and the twist in the final scene will hold children's interest. On rereadings, however, the soft focus, overly determined digital strokes and sarcastic patter offer little to sustain attention.For clever cautionary tales with a lingering bite, try those by Jon Scieszka, James Marshall or Jon Klassen. (Picture book. 4-7)

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April 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-A little yellow bird dozing on a comfortable perch in the swamp is disturbed in succession by a heron, a frog, and then a turtle, who all wish to share his spot. With each animal's arrival, the bird's response to the polite "pardon me" offered gets testier and testier ("Well, I suppose I can't stop you." and "It's crowded already, don't you think?"). Despite the bird's lack of graciousness, the four share the perch until a fox shows up on a nearby log. His "pardon me" is the last straw for the bird, who exclaims, "Well, pardon me, but this is my perch and I don't care what you have to say!" After his outburst, the heron, frog, turtle, and even the fox leave him alone. Dozing off once again the little bird is alerted to something amiss only when his perch moves. The surprise ending, for both the story and the bird, is extremely satisfying, and the last "pardon me" will have readers laughing out loud. The full-page, digitally rendered, mixed-media illustrations are richly colored and work beautifully with the spare text to tell and enhance the story. The little bird's expressions, ranging from contentment to alarm, are subtle and entertaining. A fabulous choice for storytime; pair it with Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011 ) for surefire laughs and cries to "read it again, please."-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

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