No Boring Stories!

by Julie Falatko, Charles Santoso (Illustrator)

Overview

A group of misfits takes a stand against sweet, cuddly, boring stories in this picture book by the critically acclaimed author of the Snappsy the Alligator series, Julie Falatko.

The unpopular animals have had enough. They want to be in a picture book! Stories about mommy-loving kitties and cuddly bunnies at bedtime are boring. Wouldn't you rather hear about yeti crabs in robo suits and fierce babirusa princesses who fight giant grape monsters?! This group of misfits has a unique story to tell, but they'll never finish writing it if their over-eager bunny neighbor won't GO AWAY!

Julie Falatko, critically acclaimed author of the Snappsy the Alligator books, brings her signature humor to this stand-alone picture book about finding your tribe and writing the stories you want to see, no matter how weird or wild they are!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698406797
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/06/2018
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
File size:	35 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Julie Falatko loves to talk about books. She has a library science degree, is a frequent contributor to the Nerdy Book Club, was a picture book reviewer, and started a Little Free Library in front of her house to share books with neighbors. She is the author of two Snappsy the Alligator titles, as well as the forthcoming The Great Outdoors and the Two Dogs in a Trenchcoat series.

Charles Santoso loves drawing little things in his little journal and dreaming about funny, wondrous stories. He has illustrated several picture books, including The Snurtch and I Don't Like Koala (both written by Sean Ferrell); Ida, Always (written by Caron Levis); and Peanut Butter & Brains (written by Joe McGee). Before children's books, Charles worked in animation. His illustrations have been exhibited in Sydney, Australia, and also internationally in North America and France. He currently lives and works in Sydney. Visit him at charlessantoso.com and follow him on Twitter @minitreehouse.

Editorial Reviews

Love for No Boring Stories!

*"Showcasing the values of persistence and collaboration, this intelligent comedy offers substance alongside the laughter."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

From the Publisher

11/01/2018

K-Gr 3—A group of animals enthusiastically attends a meeting of the "International Society for the Writers of Odd and Weird." A bunny shows up and is declared an intruder by a star-nosed mole. The mole is afraid that the bunny will want to create boring stories that include things like kittens, cuddling, and bedtime. However, the bunny will not be deterred and listens to the meeting in secret. As other animal members join in, the group begins to create an event-packed collaborative story. This book is written with comic book bubbles illustrating character thoughts and dialogue. The different animals often envision themselves in many of the scenes that they contribute to the story. These thought bubbles add an entertaining and funny element to the narrative. The illustrations are also broken down into graphic novel–style panels and square segments. These traits give the narrative a unique look and feel. White space is used effectively throughout, allowing the characters to stand out, and pastel hues are added to character thought bubbles, making them pop off the page when contrasted with the book's white background. VERDICT A fun title that encourages children to embrace their imaginations and unique talents and to express creativity in the written form.—Deanna Smith, Pender County Public Library, NC

School Library Journal

★ 2018-09-17

Bunny is in search of a writer's group, but her offbeat style is out of sync with both her wide-eyed, fluffy appearance and her cuddly counterparts working in clusters on the endpapers.

Following an arrow toward the "International Society for Writers of Odd and Weird," she knows she has found her people. Unfortunately, Miss Mole and the other rough-hewn members—a giraffe-necked weevil, a babirusa, and a yeti crab—dismiss her after one look. She goes underground (literally), but the irrepressible rabbit can't contain her contributions to the group's unfolding narrative about a princess fighting to save the kingdom (and sandwiches), relayed in cloud-shaped thought bubbles. Santoso's incisive designs range from sequential panels to full-page compositions. He differentiates the dual storylines by using earth tones for "reality" and a more vibrant palette for the invented action. Bunny's interruptions force a confrontation during which the authors express frustration at the preponderance of adorable bunny stories, while the accused explains her misery regarding "all these ideas inside me" but no one to help with discernment. Happily, when the plot's conclusion proves elusive, Bunny's idea for turning evil grapes into carrot raisin salad is just the ticket. Falatko builds increasingly embellished sentences while also pairing terminology about and examples of story elements: "relatable characters," an "inciting incident," "rising action," and a "climax."

Showcasing the values of persistence and collaboration, this intelligent comedy offers substance alongside the laughter. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews