Bruce Eric Kaplan

A simple plot goes a long way to create a funny tale, which leaves smiles, thoughts, and maybe a sense of familiarity.

Morris can't wait to share one of his own favorite books from his childhood with his son, Benny. But to his huge disappointment, Benny refuses to even give it a glance...let alone a listen. Morris is about to give up that easily and does everything he can think of to trick Benny into letting him read it to him. The attempts become more and more extreme until Morris finds himself in a real bind...and Benny grabs the book.

This one had me smiling right away because it's a situation which happens every now and then in our family...and I imagine that's true for others, too. It did strike me a little odd that this one starts with the father and not the son, but as it rolls along, it couldn't be better. The father is part ridiculous (and kids will roll their eyes and his insistence), and yet, it's hard not to empathize with him just a tiny bit, especially when Benny relentlessly turns him down over and over again. Kids, in other words, can identify with both sides, laugh at the extreme, and kind of wish Benny would just give in. And where it all leads is something nobody will see coming.

The artwork is as simple as the plot, and it allows the tale to be brought across with extra humor and sympathy, while never steering into side details. At first, I wondered about it but soon, I was drawn in and looked forward to every page.

The writing is great for a read aloud and fits to the age group nicely. The text is kept short but allows the meaning and scenes to hit with the impact they need. It's a quick, easy tale, making it great for even those listeners who might be easily distracted sometimes.… (altro)