Image from Goodreads.com
Rex, A. (2007). Pssst!. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN: 9780152058173
Annotation: When a little girl visits the zoo, all the animals ask her to pick up supplies for them.
Reaction: I originally picked up this book to use it during a storytime, but upon a second reading, I realized that this would just go right over my kids’ heads. The pages with the animals making their requests feature illustrations that are too small for storytime purposes, and I think the humor is probably a little too tongue in cheek for the preschool set. That said, this is a DELIGHTFUL book. I think kids starting around 7 or 8 would really enjoy this. The animals and their requests are ridiculous and hilarious.
Rex does a great job with the illustrations. I love the simple line drawing backgrounds and the super detailed characters. He really captures all the girl’s feelings through her body language and subtle facial expressions. He also adds tons of great funny details in the backgrounds and zoo signage, which makes a slow perusal of this book fun.
This could be a great read aloud book, especially for someone who is good at doing character voices (I am not; I always feel too silly).
Media Used: Oil and acrylic on watercolor paper
Amy Says Read This 