Author: Bernard Friot; translation: Yvette Ghione
Illustrator: Aurélie Guillerey
Publisher: Kids can Press, 2015; Originally published under Asticots, by Éditions Milan, 2010.
Age: 4-7
Themes: worms, manners, humorous stories
Opening: I was bored. SO bored! My father had invited the senior executives form the factory to dinner and made me join them.
Summary: (from the publisher) A hilarious picture book tale of a small boy’s mischief, with a sly take on what it wreaks in the world of the grown-ups.
Why I like this book: This hilarious depiction of a small narrative ‘incident’ is a perfect example of what an illustrator can do to amplify the story through deceptively simple gestures and details. Bravo! I’m sure the kids will laugh out loud with this one, but it may make a few more suspicious of their dinner salads!
Resources/Activities: This book provides an interesting opportunity to discuss past and present practices of work associates and families: why would a boss invite his workers home for a dinner? Have workers invited their bosses? For what purpose? Together read, How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell.
For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
julie rowan-zoch 