The Scariest Thing of All

by Debi Gliori, Debi Gliori (Illustrator), Emilia Fox (Read by)

Overview

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From the author of the bestselling No Matter What comes a gorgeous, reassuring book about learning not to be scared

A very little rabbit has big fears - lots of them! The teeth of the giant wood troll, the gobbler blowing bubbles at the bottom of the pond, the horrible hisster weaving its web - Pip sees scary things wherever he looks. But one dark night in the wild wood, he hears a terrifying Raaarr and discovers the Scariest Thing of All . . .
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Brilliantly read by Emilia Fox. Please note that audio is not supported by all devices, please consult your user manual for confirmation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408839300
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	05/19/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	118 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	Up to 5 Years

About the Author

Debi Gliori lives just outside Edinburgh, Scotland, in a house with a beautiful garden and a shed in which she creates some of the nation's very finest picture books, including the bestselling, much-translated No Matter What. Debi visits many schools, libraries and literary festivals up and down the country to promote her books. She has twice been writer in residence in the Shetland Islands. Read Debi's blog at www.fiddleandpins.blogspot.com.
Debi Gliori is the award-winning writer and illustrator of over eighty picture books and novels for children of all ages, including the bestselling modern classic No Matter What (Bloomsbury) and the Mr Bear series (Orchard). Her picture book about depression, Night Shift (Templar), was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She is also author of the Little Owl series of books, illustrated by Alison Brown, for Bloomsbury. Debi lives near Edinburgh and has twice been writer-in-residence in the Shetland Isles. Her favourite colour is blue or, more precisely, four different shades of blue: cerulean blue, cobalt blue, Mediterranean turquoise blue and warm ultramarine blue. She has sold over 600,000 books in the UK alone.

Editorial Reviews

Timid and “very, very little,” Pip the rabbit keeps a running list of everything he’s afraid of—and he can barely keep up. As raindrops fall, he imagines “a gobbler blowing bubbles at the bottom of the lily pond.” Tree stumps? “Pip was 99.9 percent positive that they were the teeth of the giant wood troll.” So when Pip hears a recurring “Raaarrr” sound, he flees into the woods. But as the noise persists, Pip discovers it’s actually coming from his own hungry belly (“I’m the Scary Thing”). The revelation gives Pip newfound courage—and a twist shows that Pip’s fears aren’t entirely in his head. Gliori (Stormy Weather) fashions a sweet-tempered tale sure to hearten readers facing their own fears and difficulties. Her ink-and-watercolor compositions capture the emotion of the action via their scale (in the woods, pink-eared Pip is surrounded by large shadowy trees in midnight blue). The turnabout ending, which plays into the story’s gentle sense of humor, and background scenes of Pip’s family enjoying everyday activities in their cozy burrow are additional comforting touches. Ages 3–6. (June)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-K—Pip lives in a charming, snug burrow with his busy family members. But the young rabbit is fearful of many things, and "being scared all the time was very hard work." Awakened from a nap in the family garden one day by a strange "Raar" sound, he flees in terror only to find himself alone in a dark, scary forest, the "Raar" sound still echoing. When Pip realizes that it is really only his tummy growling, he stands tall with a new inner confidence that bravely propels him home past the giant wood troll, a leggy wiggler, and a pond gobble—just in time for dinner. The detailed watercolor and ink illustrations appeal in their depiction of a cozy animal world with the right touch of spookiness for very young children. While the story line is slight, the expressive language succeeds in creating enough tension for a fun read-aloud that will hold children captive.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

School Library Journal

Pip has many phobias, but when he faces one he overcomes all in this acceptable tale about surmounting one's fears. A very little rabbit, Pip has a long list of fears. Even the most ordinary of things--rainfall, bubbles, tree stumps--debilitate the fretful bunny. Trying to escape his terrors, he falls asleep in the garden and awakes at suppertime, only to hear a frightful "Raar." The dreadful noise follows him into the forest, until he's thoroughly spooked. But when Pip realizes his stomach is making the "Rarrr" and that he is the scariest of things, he's empowered. Former fears are dismissed as the rabbit hops home for dinner, and in a twist of events, the creepy creatures of Pip's world (which are real and not imagined), now tremble at the thought of him. While the author works hard to hit all the right points, the text's humor is labored, and Pip's complete change of heart feels contrived. The watercolor-and-pen illustrations are cleanly done in a pastel palette. Much like the text, it is methodically applied, but not masterfully executed. Adequate, but this book is but one on a crowded overcoming-fears shelf. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews