What's that Terrible Growl?

by A. H. Benjamin, Merel Eyckerman (Illustrator)

Overview

A sweet, creative rendering of a young child’s imagination. ~Booklist

GRRRRRRRRRR!! What is that noise? Is it a hungry, ferocious lion from the savannah? Or a fire-breathing dragon from a far-off land?

Mysterious noises haunt this little boy. With every passing page, the anticipation will grow: what’s the cause of this big GROWL? A lion? A mean, ugly ogre? A ten-eyed creature from outer space? Or perhaps something else, something… unexpected?

Stay for the final surprise in this intriguing tale for the smallest ones of the house by A.H. Benjamin and Merel Eyckerman.

También disponible en español. (Also available in Spanish.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788417123550
Publisher:	NubeOcho
Publication date:	06/04/2019
Series:	Somos Ocho Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.25(w) x 10.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

An established children’s author who has been writing books since the mid-eighties. He has been published by Andersen Press, O.U.P, Little Tiger Press, Franklin Watts, Q.E.D and many other big publishing houses. Up to now he has written 43 books which have sold worldwide with over 25 translations. Some of his work has been adapted for radio, television and theatre.

Merel Eyckerman has illustrated picture books, primary readers and magazines since 2003. Apart from Belgium and The Netherlands her work is published in many countries, including China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France and the United States. Her work exudes atmosphere and is recognizable in elegance and great precision, in a muted-colour palette.

Editorial Reviews

What I really liked about this book is that I think it is something that many children can relate to — being afraid of something that really is not there. The wonderful illustrations are an added bonus to this cute story. The size and vivid colors of the creatures really help show how the little boy’s imagination was creating more than what was really there. - Youth Services Book Review

From the Publisher

06/14/2019

PreS-A little boy is wondering about a dreadful growling sound he keeps hearing. Could it be a bear, a lion, a dragon, or an ogre? Benjamin presents an amusing picture book for preschool age children that will have them growling and cheering by the end of the story. The black and gray font playfully shifts sizes as it conveys the growling movement of the simple narrative. The author uses text repetition and basic vocabulary words that can be used to enrich an interactive reading experience of a preschool classroom activity. The Spanish counterpart, identical in design to the English version, offers a loose literary translation where some sentences are added and some adjectives are removed from the prose. One detail that calls attention is the ambiguous age of the main character, who in one setting is running and dressing himself while in another he is sitting in a high chair as if he were much younger. The illustrations use a color palette that mixes primary colors, tint, and shades of achromatic gray and brown. VERDICT An engaging picture book that will capture a preschooler's attention and may be used in a participatory storytime with a theme about sounds. Ideal for the public library.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

2019-03-17
A loud and terrible growl envelops the house—what could it be? What does it want?

As a toddler-age child plays, eats, reads, and gets ready for bed, there is an ever present "GGGGRRRR" in the background. As the text speculates on the source of the growl, delicately lined, crisp illustrations, done in soft colors against white space, depict the possibilities. "Is it a big, hairy bear from the dark woods?" Or maybe "a mean, ugly ogre who lives in a castle of bones?" Or worse yet, "a spiky, green sea monster from the bottom of the ocean?" The recurring text "What's that terrible GROWL?" and "What does it want?" along with the playful use of typeset and the outlandish speculative possibilities make for a breathless and spirited read-aloud. The first time through, readers might be so caught up they won't take time to stop and explore the illustrations. That can be done calmly on the inevitable second pass. The source of the growl? The delightful answer is kept a secret until the very end. The young protagonist and his family present white. Unfortunately, the simultaneously publishing Spanish version, ¿Qué es ese ruido?, is marred by a few awkward translations.

Many an older sibling will identify with the story and beg for repeat readings. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews