The Great Lollipop Caper

by Dan Krall, Dan Krall (Illustrator)

Overview

One cranky caper is about to learn that being salty might be just as good as being sweet.

Having adults love his acidic taste is not enough for Mr. Caper. He wants more. He wants the children of the world to love him—just as much as they love the sweet, saccharine Lollipop.

And thus a plot is hatched: Caper-flavored lollipops are dispatched throughout the world...and everything goes horribly wrong. Will Mr. Caper find a way to repair the havoc he’s wreaked by over-reaching? Maybe, if Lollipop helps save the day!

This quirky tale, illustrated with humor and heart, contains sweet and salty delights for both adults and children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442444607
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	05/07/2013
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	876,256
Product dimensions:	8.84(w) x 11.16(h) x 0.46(d)
Lexile:	510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Dan Krall is an author, illustrator, and an animator. He worked as a character designer on the popular films How to Train Your Dragon and Coraline. He was also the art director for the television shows Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Chowder, and Samurai Jack, as well as a Development Artist for Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, The PowerPuff Girls, and Dexter’s Laboratory. He lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.

Dan Krall is an author, illustrator, and an animator. He worked as a character designer on the popular films How to Train Your Dragon and Coraline. He was also the art director for the television shows Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Chowder, and Samurai Jack, as well as a Development Artist for Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, The PowerPuff Girls, and Dexter’s Laboratory. He lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

Kids know all too well that grownups like to eat disgusting things. Case in point: capers. Krall (Oh, Nuts!) gives this homely, briny seasoning a tortured inner life (readers may be reminded of Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants), imagining that the adulation of adults, who prize his “acidic earthiness” is like ashes in Mr. Caper’s mouth. What he wants is what the unflaggingly good-natured Lollipop has: the adoration of children. A plot involving Mr. Caper’s sabotage of the world’s lollipop supply ensues (and, of course, goes horribly wrong), and Mr. Caper learns an important lesson about the rewards of being an acquired taste. “Sure, those kids love me now,” says Lollipop, “but when they grow up, guess who they’re going to be crazy about? You!” Krall’s background in animation (he’s worked on several Cartoon Network classics) once again serves him well: the pages fly by, fueled by precocious, melodramatic dialogue (“There must be a way to make the children appreciate my complex flavor!”) and cheerily frenetic drawings. It’s the perfect after-dinner read for Food Network–loving families. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"The whole package is wonderfully manic, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a kid who won’t cackle right along with it."

Booklist

There are "twists and turns in Krall’s jaunty tale.... [Children will] appreciate the animated stick-figured lolly and hiss appropriately at the villain."

New York Times

"The whole package is wonderfully manic, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a kid who won’t cackle right along with it."

Booklist

This hilarious and highly original tale is enhanced by laugh-out-loud Photoshop cartoon illustrations and clever, punchy dialogue. Guaranteed to please a variety of tastes and an undeniably sweet treat for the picture-book shelves.

* "The pages fly by, fueled by precocious, melodramatic dialogue (“There must be a way to make the children appreciate my complex flavor!”) and cheerily frenetic drawings. It’s the perfect after-dinner read for Food Network–loving families."

"Krall’s shiny digital illustrations are cartoony and bold, with...dramatic composition."

From the Publisher

As some ingredients have more flavor before cooking, this edible protagonist has more flavor before he learns his lesson. The punny title's "caper" is a brined flower bud, the kind that lands on plates for eating--well, eating by some people. "[A] caper is a tiny pickled sourpuss, who lives in a jar in your fridge and is never eaten by children." Adults effuse, "Ciao, Mr. Caper, delicioso!!!" and, "Ya Meester Caper, ve luv you!!!" But the grouchy caper seethes with jealousy of a tall red lollipop who's desired by children. So Mr. Caper executes a caper--he sneaks into a factory and pours a beaker of green liquid--caper flavoring--into vats of lollipop batter in order to make unwitting children "appreciate my complex flavor." Worldwide, children lick green lollies, turn green with nausea and start "acting in the most appalling ways." They upend trash cans, stick out their tongues and bring home bad grades. Moral: Capers can only ever be an acquired taste, and this remorseful one must wait until the kids grow up. Krall's shiny digital illustrations are cartoony and bold, with some Grinch-like expressions and dramatic composition. One Everykid-likes-lollipops spread could be straight from Disney's "It's a Small World." There's a sly edginess to characters who'll do anything to be eaten, but this particular pickled sourpuss loses his tang as he lowers his expectations. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews