The Watermelon Seed

by Greg Pizzoli, Greg Pizzoli (Illustrator)

Overview

With perfect comic pacing, Pizzoli introduces a funny crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? With bold color and beautiful sense of design, Pizzoli's picture book debut takes this familiar childhood worry and gives presents a true gem. Full color.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423171010
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/14/2013
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.32(w) x 10.12(h) x 0.42(d)
Lexile:	350L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Greg Pizzoli is the creator of the Baloney & Friends series as well as a three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recipient for The Watermelon Seed(Medal winner), The Book Hog (Honor book), and Good Night Owl (Honor book). He is also the author-illustrator of This Story Is for You, The 12 Days of Christmas, Templeton Gets His Wish, and Number One Sam. His nonfiction for children includes the New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Impossible True Story of Tricky Vic: The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower, and he has also illustrated picture books written by authors such as Mac Barnett, Kelly DiPucchio, Jennifer Adams, and Margaret Wise Brown. He lives in Philadelphia.

Editorial Reviews

Each imagined scenario is boldly illustrated on the page in a stripped-down palette of watermelon-y shades of pink and rind green. Children will relate to each catastrophic possibility: a stretched-out stomach, skin that turns pink. Pizzoli legitimizes childish anxieties but also slyly exaggerates each worry to highlight the humor.

The New York Times - Pamela Paul

A watermelon-loving crocodile worries over a swallowed seed in this balmy tale. Juicy endpapers of watermelon pink draw readers into this playful tale about a crocodile and his favorite fruit. Oh, how this friendly little croc adores his watermelon. But when he accidentally eats a seed, it's an emergency! The silly reptile frantically envisions the consequences of growing a melon inside one's belly, until his stomach responds. With a large belch, the seed is dislodged, and the croc happily swears off watermelon—until the next delectable slice. The illustrations, done in a graphic, flat-color style with simple linework, recall the cheerful stylings of Ed Emberley and Roger Hargreaves. While Pizzoli uses the computer to arrange his compositions, he takes extra care to hand print the pieces. Done in a three-color printing, the silk screen offers a toothiness to the page, giving fruit, animal and emotions more substance. However, the ingenuity of Pizzoli's work is in the making of the images, rather than in the story itself, which is about as substantial as, well, a piece of watermelon. A humorous vignette with deliciously bright colors that leap from the page. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews

*"[A]n expert debut."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

*"Children will love this hilarious book. The story has broad appeal, making it a great first purchase."—School Library Journal (starred review)

"A juicy premise...Pizzoli legitimizes childish anxieties but also slyly exaggerates each worry to highlight the humor."—The New York Times

"With a sharp graphic sensibility, vibrant design, and adept characterization, Pizzoli spins the simple premise into a sweet confection, ripe with broad humor."—Booklist

"The illustrations...recall the cheerful stylings of Ed Emberely and Roger Hargreaves. Deliciously bright colors...leap from the page."—Kirkus Reviews

"With a sharp graphic sensibility, vibrant design, and adept characterization, Pizzoli spins the simple premise into a sweet confection, ripe with broad humor."—Booklist Online

From the Publisher