I Didn't Do My Homework Because...

by Davide Cali, Benjamin Chaud (Illustrator)

Overview

How many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And then there was that problem with carnivorous plants.... The excuses go on and on, each more absurd than the next and escalating to hilarious heights. Featuring detail-rich illustrations by Benjamin Chaud, this book is guaranteed to amuse kids and their parents, not to mention anyone who has experienced a slacker student moment—and isn't that everyone?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452125510
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	03/04/2014
Pages:	44
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Benjamin Chaud is a well-known French author and illustrator of more than 60 books, including The Bear's Song. He lives in the southeast of France.

Davide Cali is an illustrator, cartoonist, and children's book author. He has published more than 40 books including The Bear with the Sword, I Can't Wait, and A Dad Who Measures Up. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He lives in Milan, Italy.

Editorial Reviews

This little book of tall tales could inspire slacker students to do their work—or at least try harder to amuse their teachers when the inevitable occurs.

The New York Times Book Review - Sarah Harrison Smith

"Even children who don't yet have homework will long to try out a few of these wild explanations for themselves."—Publishers Weekly

"Even children who don't yet have homework will long to try out a few of these wild explanations for themselves."—Publishers Weekly

"Even children who don't yet have homework will long to try out a few of these wild explanations for themselves."—Publishers Weekly

"This droll little book can be enjoyed for the cheek of the protagonist, the broad inventiveness of the excuses, and the scale of the whimsical illustrations."—Booklist

"This droll little book can be enjoyed for the cheek of the protagonist, the broad inventiveness of the excuses, and the scale of the whimsical illustrations."—Booklist

"This droll little book can be enjoyed for the cheek of the protagonist, the broad inventiveness of the excuses, and the scale of the whimsical illustrations."—Booklist

"Chaud's illustrations, reminiscent of Edward Gorey, are as imaginative as the excuses."—USA Today, ***1/2 out of four star review

"Chaud's illustrations, reminiscent of Edward Gorey, are as imaginative as the excuses."—USA Today, ***1/2 out of four star review

"Chaud's illustrations, reminiscent of Edward Gorey, are as imaginative as the excuses."—USA Today, ***1/2 out of four star review

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"Packed with overlapping images and detail. which will encourage careful observation and conversation."-School Library Journal

"Packed with overlapping images and detail. which will encourage careful observation and conversation."-School Library Journal

"Packed with overlapping images and detail. which will encourage careful observation and conversation."-School Library Journal

"Once readers pick it up, it's unlikely they'll put it down until it's finished. Especially if there's homework to be done."—Travis Jonker, 100ScopeNotes, a School Library Journal blog

"Once readers pick it up, it's unlikely they'll put it down until it's finished. Especially if there's homework to be done."—Travis Jonker, 100ScopeNotes, a School Library Journal blog

"Once readers pick it up, it's unlikely they'll put it down until it's finished. Especially if there's homework to be done."—Travis Jonker, 100ScopeNotes, a School Library Journal blog

"Brilliant! Genius! Clever in the best way possible!"—Books4YourKids

"Brilliant! Genius! Clever in the best way possible!"—Books4YourKids

"Brilliant! Genius! Clever in the best way possible!"—Books4YourKids

From the Publisher

2014-01-29
Who doesn't want to learn new excuses for unfinished assignments? That's just what this title offers—26 outlandish solutions to that "What to say?" dilemma. When a boy is questioned by his teacher about the missing homework, he thinks fast. The ideas fire in rapid succession, from being attacked by Vikings and hiding escaped convicts in his bedroom to giving his pencils to Robin Hood and sacrificing workbooks to heat his home. Chaud's ink-and-watercolor scenes vary from single- to double-page spreads, with simpler compositions than in The Bear's Song (2013), although there are some crowd scenes, as when the "famous director asked to use my bedroom to shoot his new movie." Cowboys, Indians on horseback and glamorous women make themselves at home, surrounded by the railroad track and film crew. Shades of red and green dominate the palette, lending a sense of uniformity to an otherwise diverse range of settings and characters. The combination of the boy's formal attire—a dark suit and bright red tie—and his long, unruly hair casts uncertainty as to his veracity, until the teacher pulls out the book from behind her back to reveal the same one in readers' hands; the game is up. Ultimately, "list" books wear thin, and this is no exception. It will likely be passed around, but repeated readings are not particularly rewarding. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews