It's Not My Turn to Look for Grandma - Hardcover

From its hillbilly characters to its goony title-page rendering of the Knopf borzoi to its droll locutions ("Where in the hickory stick is Grandma?"), this volume establishes a rollicking hootenanny feel. Grandma, a salty old woman in the Beverly Hillbillies mold, is "too busy" entertaining her pets and herself to help Ma fix the house and garden. One by one, Ma sends her four kids to find her errant kinswoman and, one by one, Grandma sends them back-armed with the ability to tell tall tales, paint or dance to amuse Ma and their siblings. Finally, Ma tunes up her fiddle and tempts Grandma and her banjo out of hiding for a rendition of "The Chickadilla Song" (a down-on-the-farm ditty based on an 1871 tune). The family-along with fleabitten dogs, hyperactive ducks and chickens, and two prickly porcupines-carouses in the yard as the sun sets, all anti-Grandma sentiment forgotten. Booth (Possum Come a-Knockin') applies cutout ink-and-watercolor cartoons to a watercolor background; fans of the New Yorker artist will instantly recognize a certain pointy-eared, barrel-chested dog. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Kindergarten-Grade 2?Woolie keeps protesting that it's not his turn, so his siblings Mack, Monroe, and Oleanna search for Grandma throughout the day. There's important work to be done around the house, but the cantankerous elderly woman is too busy telling jokes, spiffing up old clothes with bright paint, or playing a wild-card game with the critters thereabouts to help. Chores are finished and Ma sees the setting sun. She sends Woolie, whose turn has finally come, to fetch his rowdy granny. It's time for a family hoedown, and music stirs Grandma's soul. She's there in a flash to play the banjo and sing her favorite tune, the "Chickadilla Song." The story's lively mountain twang is well paired with wild cartoon illustrations that highlight its sassy tone. Finish a read-aloud with a sing-along (music and new lyrics provided). It will be a silly good time for all.?Virginia E. Jeschelnig, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.