Author: David Wiesner
Summary: Create your own story with some nocturnal frogs on a flying adventure in a suburban neighborhood.
Blurber Blabber Review: Buy it now!
Blurb: Tuesday is another amazing picture book from David Weisner that has vivid, creative, and humorous illustrations that let you and the little ones run wild with your imagination. The concept is so simple and yet so great.
Story Type: Picture book
Scary Factor: None, although the frog faces might be a little scary and the idea of flying frogs entering your home at night might scare the little ones.
Reading Out Loud: Great for using your imagination since there's no written story so you can really create a lot of variations of the story by exercising your imagination.
Rereadability: Totally rereadable. My niece and nephew demanded it at least 5 times the day I bought it for them. And they always remembered the slight nuances in the "story" but also loved to hear slight variations. Also gives kids a good opportunity to practice their own "storytelling" skills.
Illustrations: Great watercolor illustrations by David Wiesner, consistent with his usual style. There's a lot of humor and details built into each of the pictures that you, or the little ones, can build into the story.
Medals/Honors/Recognition: 1992 Cladecott Medal.
Published: 1997
Length: 32 pages
(Read on for the more detailed "blabber" review)
Blabber
I should be totally honest and let you know that I am a huge David Wiesner fan. I came across his books when researching good reads for my niece and nephew as they started to really get into books and wanted me to read at least five books aloud to them each night I saw them. I quickly realized that long and wordy books, no matter how awesome, are not my friends when it comes to reading out loud and could get tiring when reading them over and over and over again. So I searched around for some modernish picture books that were geared more for young kids and not babies/toddlers and found David Wiesner.
This is not my first David Wiesner book but it's the one I bought most recently and is currently the favorite with my niece and nephew. It starts with some sleeping frogs that are startled awake by their levitating lily pads. There are a few words scattered throughout the book, but they only consist of a few pages indicating the date and time of the mysterious events. The book begins with a simple "TUESDAY EVENING, AROUND EIGHT." in black font on a stark white page. In contrast, the illustrations are wonderfully colorful even though most of the events take place at night.
As the frogs' flight begins they take glee in exploring the lands and pestering some birds. Whether this is a regular occurrence or a one time event, is up to the reader. They soon approach a typical suburban neighborhood, where most people are fast asleep and lights are out. They spy into a lit kitchen where a man is stunned while having a late night snack. Chaos ensues when they fly into a clothesline and get tangled in the sheets that conveniently and cutely make flying capes. They sneak into an old lady's home and watch the TV she left on while dozing in her armchair. And they have some "fun" with the neighborhood dog.
As morning approaches the frogs make their way back to the pond, leaving behind some strange evidence in the form of lily pads strewn on the street that the cops investigate (no guns or violence in sight).
And then the book closes with a "NEXT TUESDAY, 7:58 P.M." And just as you think you'll see some more silly and adventurous frogs flying in the air, you're surprised by a strange shadow of a flying animal and a peek at a butt with a curly tail (the little ones loooove giggling at the butt peeking out). Aha, it's the pigs' turn to fly this Tuesday! And of course the pigs are flying sloppily in the air, wonderfully illustrated as rolling around in the night sky.
The book can be as fast or as short of a read as you want it. Meaning, when I'm getting into it and have the time and patience I will point out all sorts of funny little details in each of the pictures and add them to the growing story. But if this is a pre-nap, pre-good night story, then I can race through it pretty quickly, skipping the details (unless they force me to go over them) and glossing over other stuff. It's a great book for kids that love animals and magical/mysterious stories. I think for a book like this you'd really need to have it in print since the highlights are the illustrations. I don't think this is in e-book form yet, but even if it were, you'd need to see it in color and in a format that wouldn't strain little young eyes. I look forward to seeing more of David Wiesner's books, and will be reviewing some of his other books that are favorite reads here.
Questions the little ones may ask you:
- Why are the frogs flying?
- Use your imagination! I took the lazy route and said it was "magic." A nice generic response that satisfies their question since magic is mysterious and unknown.
- Is that our neighborhood they're flying to?
- I said yes and they loved pointing to a random house in one of the pictures and saying it was theirs.
- But, if the idea of frogs flying into your house at night is frightening, your little ones might not like the idea that there are frogs flying in your neighborhood.
- Why is the dog chasing them and/or why are they chasing the dog?
- Safe response that I like to give is that they're being silly and having fun.
- What happened in the morning?
- I like to say that the frogs are very tired and need to return back to their pond to sleep.
- Why are the police there?
- They need to figure out what happened and why all the lily pads are on the street! I also like to point out that the same dog they were chasing/chased by is sniffing one of the lily pads suspiciously on the right and the man they were spying on in his kitchen is talking to the reporters in the back.
- What animal is next? Will the cows/horses/chickens/[any animal] fly next night?
- Oh yeah. Go wild with that. Every day there can be a different animal. They could take turns. Whatever is your little one's favorite animal, that's the animal that will be flying the next night.
Where to find Tuesday?
Go to your local book store or library!
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