Tony Baloney

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Overview

Bestselling author Pam Muñoz Ryan and virtuosic new talent Edwin Fotheringham show off their funny sides as they introduce the mischievous, lovable, utterly relatable Tony Baloney!

Tony Baloney is a macaroni penguin. He loves fish tacos, Little Green Walrus Guys, his stuffed animal, Dandelion, and anything with wheels. He does not love trouble . . . but trouble loves him. Sometimes, when he is tired of Bossy Big Sister Baloney and exasperated with the Bothersome Babies Baloney, ...

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Overview

Bestselling author Pam Muñoz Ryan and virtuosic new talent Edwin Fotheringham show off their funny sides as they introduce the mischievous, lovable, utterly relatable Tony Baloney!

Tony Baloney is a macaroni penguin. He loves fish tacos, Little Green Walrus Guys, his stuffed animal, Dandelion, and anything with wheels. He does not love trouble . . . but trouble loves him. Sometimes, when he is tired of Bossy Big Sister Baloney and exasperated with the Bothersome Babies Baloney, Dandelion behaves badly. And then, Tony must say he is sorry, which is not always easy for him.

Whether you are a mischievous middle, a bossy biggest, or a bothersome baby, you are sure to root for Tony Baloney and find yourself, or someone you love, in the Baloney family.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Ryan's (The Dreamer) exuberant story takes a fresh look at sibling dynamics from the perspective of a beleaguered macaroni penguin caught between bossy Big Sister Baloney and twin Bothersome Babies Baloney. "When it is absolutely necessary, or most of the time," Tony Baloney plays with Big Sister, who always makes him assume the minor role of kitty ("When do I get to be Boss of the World?" he asks). When he becomes exasperated with his siblings, Tony acts out, after which he and his stuffed toy, Dandelion (acting as confidante and adviser), take a time-out. Their eventual decision to apologize involves an entertaining imagined dialogue; Tony concedes that they have to apologize nicely, and Dandelion admits, "I am not feeling nicely in my heart." Dominated by bold primary colors, Fotheringham's (The Extraordinary Mark Twain ) hyperbolic digital illustrations counterbalance the slyly understated narrative, portraying Tony's (and Dandelion's) antics with humor. Yet there's brilliant subtlety, too: his depiction of Big Sister--always en pointe in her red ballet flats and eyeing Tony with no shortage of scorn--says a mouthful about what Tony is dealing with. Ages 3–5. (Jan.)
Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung
Tony Baloney is no ordinary penguin; he's a macaroni penguin with older and younger siblings. His Big Sister Baloney is the one that takes charge and tells him what to do; the twins, Bothersome Babies Baloney, try his patience. Trouble seems to catch him being in the middle of the family. After a moment of exasperation, Tony gathers and packs his important things. He goes and hides in his special space to talk to Dandelion. Only Dandelion, his stuffed animal, seems to understand his feelings when Tony pours out his troubles. The illustrations fill the pages with bold and bright colors. The characters' feelings are well expressed with their facial features and postures. For instance, Big Sister Baloney with her furrowed brow and crossed arms has a bossy, in-charge look that strongly insists that Tony will be the kitty when they play. Children with brothers and sisters may identify with the different roles portrayed by the Tony and his siblings. The ending of the story has a funny twist. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3—When Tony Baloney behaves badly, it's surely someone else's fault: the Bothersome Babies Baloney, bossy Big Sister Baloney, or his stuffed animal buddy, Dandelion. Suffering from a bad case of middle-child blues, the young penguin finds comfort in his hidey space and gets wise council from Dandelion. When he feels lonely and smells fish tacos, he decides to apologize for upsetting his siblings. In this rather whiny and loosely held together story, Tony doesn't even get his way in the end. Big Sister promises that he no longer has to be the kitty when they play together, so Tony passes that role to the twin babies, only to find that he must always play the dog. The last spread shows him sourly spilling milk at the tea party and fuming while wearing puppy ears. Older children may enjoy some of the humor, and younger children may respond to the bright, digital illustrations of the cartoon-style penguin family, but this is an additional purchase most useful for those seeking more stories about the woes of being stuck in the middle.—Julie R. Ranelli, Queen Anne's County Free Library, Stevensville, MD
Kirkus Reviews

Stuck between Big Sister and the Bothersome Babies, Tony Baloney the macaroni (penguin, that is) can't help acting out sometimes—which leads to a fast getaway into the cardboard hidey-space in his room "for maybe a year, or maybe twenty minutes" with his best stuffed buddy, Dandelion, followed by a parental admonition to apologize nicely. The tale is told in the present tense in a collegial, adult voice that leaves plenty of room for subtext: "Tony Baloney tells Dandelion all of his woes. As usual, Dandelion is extremely understanding." The versatile Fotheringham illustrates it with big cartoon scenes of stubby-beaked, shoe-wearing penguins in a comfy, cluttered domestic setting (the two binkie-sucking toddlers have particularly winning clueless looks). The episode will certainly evoke chords of recognition from middle children and their sibs (and parents) alike. So, "how long does it take for nicely to creep in?" Tony Baloney wonders; Dandelion (as superego) replies, "Maybe never, or in a little while. Just wait for it." Sage advice well worth offering, as closing scenes of realistically uneasy sibling détente demonstrate. (Picture book. 5-8)

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780545231350
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 1/1/2011
  • Pages: 40
  • Sales rank: 369,117
  • Age range: 3 - 5 Years
  • Product dimensions: 10.30 (w) x 10.10 (h) x 0.30 (d)

Meet the Author

Pam Munoz Ryan is the recipient of the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for multicultural literature. She has written more than thirty books which have garnered, among countless accolades, the Pura Belpre Medal, the Jane Addams Award, and the Schneider Family Award. Pam lives near San Diego. You can visit her at www.pammunozryan.com.

Edwin Fotheringham has illustrated several notable picture books, including Barbara Kerley's WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?, a Sibert Honor Book and a Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor Book, and THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY), a New York Public Library Best Children's Book. Edwin lives in Seattle, Washington. You can visit him online at www.edfotheringham.com.

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