Hi, Jack! (Jack Book Series #1)

by Mac Barnett, Greg Pizzoli (Illustrator)

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett and Geisel Award-winning illustrator Greg Pizzoli, an uproarious early reader series about a mischievous rabbit, a cranky old lady, and a lovable dog.
 
Meet Jack: He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, he just has a funny way of showing it sometimes . . .
 
A perfect read-aloud with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young readers' hearts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593113790
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Series:	Jack Book Series , #1
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	190L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mac Barnett is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books, including Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, and the Mac B., Kid Spy series. His books have won numerous prizes, including three E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards, two Caldecott Honors, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Mac lives in Oakland, California.

Greg Pizzoli is an author, illustrator, and printmaker. His first picture book, The Watermelon Seed, won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, and his book Good Night Owl was a Geisel Honor. His Viking nonfiction picture book Tricky Vic was a New York Times Best Illustrated of 2015. He lives in Philadelphia.

Editorial Reviews

★ “Barnett works wonders with a limited vocabulary, packing the stories with humor, tension—and admonishments of Jack. Pizzoli’s scruffy-edged, emotive cartoons are just as funny, and he carries the comedy into drawing lessons and closing endpapers.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Jack is a rule-proof bundle of bunny-eared id who does as he pleases, and therein lies his considerable charm.” –BCCB, starred review

“This series title will be a surefire hit with readers who love Mo Willems’s Elephant & Piggie books.” –School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2019-06-10
A bunny behaves badly. But is he all bad?

In the first of three chapters, an unnamed narrator immediately breaks the fourth wall and introduces a bunny named Jack (presumably a jackrabbit, given his name). Ever the friendly, pizza-loving mammal, Jack waves a cheerful hello to readers. But the mood shifts when the Lady comes along. Jack descends from his treehouse to snatch the elderly human woman's purse. "Bad Jack!" scolds the narrator. "Jack, give that back!" Jack does—but not before using the Lady's lipstick on himself! Subsequent chapters detail Jack's further misbehaviors involving a farm dog named Rex and another encounter with the Lady in her home. The interplay between Barnett's verbal and Pizzoli's visual humor results in rollicking surprises at almost every page turn. Repetition and a total word count of fewer than 90 words (at most 17 per page) provide ample support (and entertainment) to emerging readers. Pizzoli's technique combines firm black outlines, solid fill, and printlike backgrounds, creating textured, wonderfully expressive cartoon illustrations. Sequel Jack Blasts Off! publishes simultaneously and takes the duo's winning formula into an outer-space setting—proving that good manners really do transcend species. Both books end with instructions on how to draw various characters. Adult readers may note that Jack's too-consistent wickedness combines with minimal consequences to send mixed messages.

Bad bunny. (Mostly) good book. (Early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews