Benny and Penny in How To Say Goodbye: TOON Level 2

by Geoffrey Hayes

Overview

★ "With humor, directness, and unfailing honesty, Hayes’s sensitive cartooning and sharp dialogue play up the big emotions of these little mice." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "Hayes’ grasp of children’s inner lives is deep and lovely, granting them not only the complexity to experience resounding sorrow and guilt, but also the tools—with a little help and understanding—to overcome these difficult feelings. Hayes’ meticulously delineated figures exude a nearly tactile softness and warmth, and his generously detailed panels are fluidly and imaginatively laid out so that, even without the bombastic action, readers will engage at every step. An exemplary installment in an already successful series."—Booklist, Starred Review

★ "A simple narrative make this ideal for budding young readers. VERDICT: A wonderful and sensitively handled offering; purchase where the series is popular or where titles on death are needed."—School Library Journal, Starred Review

Why won't Benny help? Penny found a dead salamander, but her brother Benny is refusing to help her bury it. Is it silly to hold a service for Little Sallie, or could this tiny salamander mean something more to the siblings? Geisel Award–winner Geoffrey Hayes shares this gentle tale of a child's early encounter with death.

Bestselling author Geoffrey Hayes has written and illustrated over forty children's books, including the extremely popular series of early readers Otto and Uncle Tooth, the classic Bear by Himself, the Patrick Bear books, and When the Wind Blew by Caldecott Medal–winning author Margaret Wise Brown. His TOON Book series of Benny and Penny books has garnered multiple awards. In 2009, Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award given by the American Library Association for "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935179993
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Series:	Benny and Penny
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.31(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	BR (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bestselling author Geoffrey Hayes has written and illustrated over forty children's books, including the extremely popular series of early readers Otto and Uncle Tooth, the classic Bear by Himself, the Patrick Bear books, and When the Wind Blew by Caldecott Medal-winning author Margaret Wise Brown. His TOON Book series of Benny and Penny books has garnered multiple awards. In 2009, Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award given by the American Library Association for "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English."

Editorial Reviews

★ "With humor, directness, and unfailing honesty, Hayes’s sensitive cartooning and sharp dialogue play up the big emotions of these little mice." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "Hayes’ grasp of children’s inner lives is deep and lovely, granting them not only the complexity to experience resounding sorrow and guilt, but also the tools—with a little help and understanding—to overcome these difficult feelings. Hayes’ meticulously delineated figures exude a nearly tactile softness and warmth, and his generously detailed panels are fluidly and imaginatively laid out so that, even without the bombastic action, readers will engage at every step. An exemplary installment in an already successful series."—Booklist, Starred Review

★ "A simple narrative make this ideal for budding young readers. VERDICT: A wonderful and sensitively handled offering; purchase where the series is popular or where titles on death are needed."—School Library Journal, Starred Review

"Death is an odd subject for a comic for young children, but Hayes handles it well. For newly independent readers, this is an alternative to—not a replacement for—Brown's classic. Another sweet, empathetic day with Benny and Penny."—Kirkus Reviews

"In only 20-some pages, Hayes manages to move his characters realistically through denial, disgust, resistance, friendship, problem-solving, and navigating the ceremonies of mourning."—Comics Worth Reading

"A sensitive look at dealing with strong feelings in the wake of loss. An important addition to graphic novel collections and readers advisory lists."—Mom Read It

"Following in the tradition of Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers, Hayes does not shy away from dealing with direct facts or feelings, things that often become overlooked when talking with children about death." —Musing Librarian Reviews

From the Publisher

2016-07-02
The sixth title in the Benny and Penny graphic early reader series captures children's transitory emotions with quiet, forgiving humor. When Benny and Penny find a dead salamander, Penny names it Little Red and insists on a burial, while Benny thinks it's gross. The siblings' contrasting reactions continue throughout the tale. Their “grief” is just as transitory and matter-of-fact as that of the children in Margaret Wise Brown’s The Dead Bird (re-issued with new illustrations by Christian Robinson in 2016), though the comic-book format and Hayes' age-appropriate humor update the story. (Benny, hiding behind a bush, sneezes, causing Penny and her mole friend Melina to check the corpse for signs of life.) Although Penny responds in stereotypical girl fashion, bringing flowers for the grave, Benny expresses emotions too. When they find a living salamander, Benny thinks it's Little Red's ghost, while Penny decides it's Red's sister and names it Paula. Speech bubbles used to tell the story guide readers through the pages, while warm, friendly illustrations reminiscent of another classic, Beatrix Potter, provide detail and humor for new readers to study. Death is an odd subject for a comic for young children, but Hayes handles it well. For newly independent readers, this is an alternative to—not a replacement for—Brown’s classic. Another sweet, empathetic day with Benny and Penny. (Graphic early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews