Stick Man

by Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creators of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, a heartwarming holiday tale, now in paperback!

Stick Man lives in the family tree

With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three.

But one day, Stick Man is carried off by a mischievous dog who wants to play fetch! Things go from bad to worse as Stick Man finds himself farther and farther from home. Lonely and lost, Stick Man desperately wants to be home with his family for Christmas. And when he helps Santa Claus out of a bind, he finds the perfect ticket home!

Julia Donaldson's pitch-perfect rhymes and Axel Scheffler's witty illustrations combine for an unforgettable holiday adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781339047348
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	09/03/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	486,491
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Julia Donaldson served as the UK Children's Laureate from 2011 to 2013 and has written many bestselling and beloved children's books, including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, and Stick Man. She lives in West Sussex in the south of the UK.

Axel Scheffler's award-winning books include Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, and The Gruffalo. His illustrations have been published in more than 30 countries. He lives in London, England.

Editorial Reviews

*"Donaldson's rhymes never skip a beat, and Scheffler personalizes the many animals, people and settings in his witty watercolors. This yarn could become a December perennial." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"Scheffler's engaging illustrations, Donaldson's irresistible rhyming text and repeated refrains make this a winning read-aloud that will stick around long after the holiday season." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"[A] happy ending for all, and for all a good night." — TheHorn Book

From the Publisher

Donaldson and Scheffler, the team behind Room on the Broom and The Gruffalo, find a roundabout route to Christmas in this bouncy tale. Stick Man is just that, a brown stick with twig arms and branch legs. His story is delivered in perfect meter: “Stick Man lives in the family tree/ With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three.” One spring day, Stick Man unwillingly joins a dog's game of fetch, is sent downstream by children and woven into a swan's nest. As the seasons change, Stick Man travels farther from home, futilely protesting (in vehement Green Eggs and Ham style), “I'm not a mast for a silly old flag,/ Or a sword for a knight... or a hook for a bag.” In his darkest hour, he nearly becomes kindling, only to have Santa arrive down the chimney. Donaldson and Scheffler's poignant, suspenseful profile of an inanimate object recalls Laurie Keller or The Velveteen Rabbit. Donaldson's rhymes never skip a beat, and Scheffler personalizes the many animals, people and settings in his witty watercolors. This yarn could become a December perennial. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 1–Stick Man is happy with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three–until a dog finds him and snatches him for a game of fetch. This is the beginning of a terrible journey during which, Odysseus-like, Stick Man tries to get back but is taken farther and farther away from his home as he is used over the months for everything from a boomerang to a snowman’s arm. Readers will feel his anguish and cheer his eventual return (by Santa Claus no less, who rescues him from a fireplace on Christmas Eve) to his loving family. Bouncy, repetitive rhymes make this a good choice for storytime, and the saturated color illustrations carry well (although Stick Man does tend to blend, chameleonlike, into his surroundings). A slightly surreal holiday choice.–Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

Proving once again that almost any item can be a character in a children's book, Stick Man stands out as a sturdy fellow who has a distinct personality that is anything but wooden. When Stick Man leaves his Stick Lady Love and stick children three to go out for a jog, he is chased and carried off by a dog. Poor Stick Man then falls into one mishap after another, demonstrating all the creative uses for a stick by children and animals. After the little wooden man rescues Santa from a too-narrow chimney, Santa reciprocates by returning Stick Man to his family with a Christmas Eve sleigh ride. Scheffler's engaging illustrations, Donaldson's irresistible rhyming text and repeated refrains make this a winning read-aloud that will stick around long after the holiday season. (Picture book. 2-7)

Kirkus Reviews