One Big Pair of Underwear

June 30, 2014
Though nominally about underwear, always an attention getter, Gehl’s debut offers lessons in counting and cooperation. In each example, the number of desirable items (“FIVE flat mats”) is too few for the animals that want them (“SIX fat cats”), and one leaves disappointed (“One fat cat thinks, Rats! Rats! Rats!”). Absurdity reigns. Five goats cannot apportion four jars of candy, nine ducks have only eight hockey sticks, and the underwear of the title is coveted by “TWO brown bears who hate to share.” At last, 20 pigs demonstrate, albeit dangerously, that they all can use 10 playground slides at the same time, and the rest of the animals pool their resources too: “Goats and ducks share candy bars,/ hockey fun, and empty jars.” Gehl’s tongue-twisting rhymes bounce along winningly, and Lichtenheld (This Is a Moose) gamely pictures the silly activities, from water-skiing cows and scooter-riding seals to twin bears stuffed into a single pair of Y-fronts. This amusing tale of sharing eschews the preachy and relies on nonsense to get readers giggling. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency.

July 15, 2014
Share and share alike!Gehl's debut picture-book text is a silly romp of a counting book with a lesson in sharing to boot. Its rhyming text opens with a giggle-inspiring dilemma: "ONE big pair of underwear. / TWO brown bears who hate to share. ONE bear wears the underwear. // ONE bear growls, 'That isn't fair!' " Ensuing pages display similarly silly conundrums: only two snacks for three yaks, just five pillows and mats for six sleepy cats, and so on. The only thing that these creatures seem to share is a case of the greedies. For every situation, the one who comes up short is less-than-pleased, with the excluded cat, for example, thinking "Rats! Rats! Rats!" as it inflates an air mattress (which has a hole in it). Such comical twists abound in Lichtenheld's illustrations, which more than hold their own against the text's goofy details and seem like they would translate well into animation. Ultimately, a group of 20 pigs amicably share just 10 playground slides, and seeing this, the bears are inspired to share their underwear, as depicted in the cover art. The other animals follow suit, and all's well that ends well-even if the text credits the underwear, rather than the (ironically) generous pigs, for inspiring the feel-good camaraderie at book's end.A picture book to count on for delightful shared reading. (Picture book 3-6)

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August 1, 2014

PreS-K-The title of this book, combined with its cover illustration of two impish bears in a giant pair of underwear, hints at such a silly story that readers may be disappointed to find that it is, essentially, a counting book with a sharing theme. Two bears, three yaks, four seals, and so on all hate to share, and there is never enough of whatever they want to go around. Then 20 pigs come on the scene and demonstrate how to share 10 slides by going down two at a time, piggyback style. Gehl's sunny, rhyming text never misses a beat, and Lichtenheld's sprightly, silly pencil-and-digital-color illustrations are a perfect match.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2014
Preschool-G *Starred Review* The word underwear is enough to make kids erupt in giggles. But when two bears contemplate sharing one pair of underwear, youngsters will be rolling in the aisles. Add rhymes, tongue twisters, and alliteration into the mix, and you'll find spirited entertainment in this picture-book introduction to basic concepts. A joy to read aloud with its well-paced rhythms, this counting book starts off with a series of scenarios that leaves one animal out of luck, because no one wants to share: TWO small sacks of salty snacks. THREE young yaks with black backpacks. TWO yaks put snacks in their packs. ONE mad yak yelps, Where's my snack?' After a seal loses out on a scooter ride, a cow misses a spin on a jet ski, and more injustices, the animals observe how 10 playground slides can accommodate 20 pigs. Recognizing that sharing can be fun, they decide to try it. Placed on crisp white backgrounds, the digitally colored pencil illustrations are full of charm and humor. With a unique method of introducing subtraction, this wholly engaging title will be requested over and over again.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)