The Book That Jake Borrowed

by Susan Kralovansky (Illustrator)

Overview

Jake and his book from the library are placed in one sticky situation after another in this cumulative tale, an original adaptation of the classic There Was an Old Lady. There's the drip, drip, drip, of a jelly mishap that leads to the lick, lick, lick of a lucky rat, whose luck runs out when he's caught by the cat, all before a dog shows up and that's that for the book Jake borrowed from the library! Repetitive phrases, onomatopoeia, and simple choruses make this an easy beginning for young readers while the cut paper and fabric collage illustrations add humorous depth to the sequence of unfortunate events and offer opportunities for hands-on related activities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455623259
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/30/2018
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

As an elementary school librarian, Susie Kralovansky pursues her passion for both children and books. In addition to writing several articles in children's magazines, she has written for young readers six nonfiction books about using library resources. She received a Master's Degree in Education and Library Sciences from Indiana University and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers, Texas Library Association and International Reading Association. She lives in Cedar Park, Texas, with her husband and son.

Editorial Reviews

2018-06-25
All kinds of calamities befall the titular book in this cumulative riff on "The House That Jack Built." Following the initial pages that introduce both Jake and the book, conditions for the book quickly deteriorate: Jelly drips on it, a rat licks the jelly, a cat catches the rat, a dog chases the cat, and the dog chews the book's pages. The mangled book is taken back to the library (along with the contents of Jake's piggy bank), and the collage illustration shows a stereotypical, frowning librarian who scolds Jake—but wait! She's also the librarian who lets him take home extra books even after she laments the first book's harsh treatment. The childlike fabric collages are busy, with double-page spreads that frequently feature large, labeled arrows cut from lined paper on verso pointing to the various characters. Interjections between lines add extra opportunity for storytime audiences to chime in (and giggle): "This is the rat / that licked the jelly Oh, gross! / That dripped on the book Oh, no! / that Jake borrowed." In the picture, a plump rat snoozes on top of the opened book. Jake and the librarian are both white; the former has impish dots and lines for facial features, while the librarian wears glasses (of course) and a bun (double of course). This is the story the librarian reads to the kids to keep them grinning when they say "read it again!" (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews