That's Life!

by Ame Dyckman, Cori Doerrfeld (Illustrator)

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Wolfie the Bunny comes a witty send-up of inspirational greeting card wisdom that reminds readers of life's unpredictability and messiness--and beauty.
After Life literally knocks on their door, one kid discovers that Life is truly what you make it. It's weird and may not always cooperate, but Life's beauty becomes apparent when it's embraced for all of its quirks. This story is filled with tongue-in-cheek idioms that will appeal to readers of all ages and will impart deeper wisdoms about the many milestones and stages of life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316485494
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/31/2020
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	21 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ame Dyckman is the award-winning author of Dandy, Read the Book, Lemmings!, You Don't Want a Unicorn!, Horrible Bear!, the New York Times bestselling Wolfie the Bunny, and more. Ame's Life led her to New Jersey, where Ame lives with her family, cat, Life, and other book characters. You can visit Ame on Twitter (@AmeDyckman).
Cori Doerrfeld has helped make books about all kinds of animals from rabbits (The Rabbit Listened and Matilda in the Middle) to pigs (The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig). Cori still has some traveling to do, but for now she loves living in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, two children, and little dog. You can visit Cori at coridoerrfeld.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for That's Life!:
 
"[H]umorous, kid-friendly, and clever [...] a level of fun that will satisfy readers of all ages."—Kirkus Reviews

"A terrific reminder to readers of all ages that life, in all forms, is worth treasuring."—Booklist

"The mood is always upbeat—or, at the very least, maintains a 'dust yourself off and keep going' attitude—with plenty of reminders that whatever life is, it is for sure one wild ride."—Publishers Weekly

"[Readers] starting a new phase in life (say, kindergarten or a move) may appreciate the physical manifestation of their feelings and assurance that everything will be okay."—BCCB

"Sure to be a choice for…graduation gifts, this sweet…story offers an alternative to Dr. Seuss's Oh the Places You'll Go."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2019-11-10
Life—personified as a wild, furry gray creature—brings many surprises in this picture book about loving your Life no matter what.

A small, brown-skinned child sits at a table writing on a pad of paper when there is a knock at the door. Who could it be? "Oh, that's Life! Life happens when you least expect it." The child opens the crate, labeled LIFE, that sits on the doorstep. A furry gray creature jumps out, then drags the child on all sorts of adventures. Every conceivable saying about life is worked into the text ("Life's a journey"; "Life is full of surprises"). Life changes form throughout, becoming a means of transportation (a boat, a camel, a hot air balloon), a suitcase, and a bull with pointy horns ("Life can be tough. And sometimes…Life hurts!") Doerrfeld's visual interpretations of Dyckman's text are humorous, kid-friendly, and clever, featuring soft-lined vignettes of busy, active scenes on white space. The silly concreteness of the illustrations raises the intentionally cliché-packed text to a level of fun that will satisfy readers of all ages. Young readers will enjoy watching Life's ups and downs, and they just might internalize a true lesson or two about their own lives.

Both a lighthearted reflection and an entertaining read. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews