Tots to Teens & in beTween - Bob Sheapalooza!

Well, I don't know if two books count as a "palooza", but it rolls of the tongue so nicely!  These are two of the books my son got for Christmas.

Title: Dinosaur vs. Bedtime

Author: Bob Shea

Publisher: Hyperion

Publication Date: September 9, 2008

Format: Hardcover, 40 pages

Genre: Picture Books, Children's Books

Other Books in the Series:

Dinosaur vs. The Potty

How I Got It: I purchased it

Goodreads Summary:

Roaaaar! Roaar! Nothing can stop me!

Nothing can stop little dinosaur—not talking grownups, spaghetti, or even bath time. But what happens when he faces the biggest challenge of all...bedtime?

With spare text and irresistible dinosaur roaaars, little dinosaurs will be begging for this book to be read again and again.

Review:

My mother-in-law was not pleased when I started roaring in the middle of the bookstore when I first found this bad boy.  It was instant love, Little Dinosaur and I were meant to be together, and Christmas shopping made a handy excuse to bring him home with me.  The bright colors, the simple but humorous illustrations, and the chance to roar like a dinosaur make this book a hit with everyone.  

Little Dinosaur, with his mighty roars, can win at everything, no one can stand against him.  Not a pile of leaves, a bowl of spaghetti, the toothbrush, or boring adults.  A little bit of roaring and jumping and DINOSAUR WINS!  After defeating the bath tub and the toothbrush, Dinosaur moves on to his greatest challenge - bedtime.  Unfortunately he is no match for bedtime and his roars gradually quite down and turn into snores.

The slide show below is provided by Bob Shea through Flickr.

Verdict:

I'm not sure how good a bedtime book this is since I always end up running around and roaring when I read it, but it is so much fun! (Though I admit that I end up doing that with most books and it has gotten my fired from reading bedtime stories to my nephew.)  It is impossible not to giggle when reading this story.  Little Dinosaur is just so cute, even when he's grumbly.  I do find that Dinosaur vs. Bedtime works best with children in the 3-7 age range, but I have read it to 10 year olds and it was still fun.  I give it 6 stars, you need this one people, go get it now!

Title: Big Plans

Author: Bob Shea

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher: Hyperion

Publication Date: September 9, 2008

Format: Hardcover, 40 pages

Genre: Picture Books, Children's Books

How I Got It: I purchased it

Goodreads Summary:

A little boy sits in the corner of a classroom, plotting his future. He's got plans...and have you heard? They're BIG. With the help of a mynah bird and lucky stinky hat, he'll find a quarter...boss around some muckety-mucks...become the mayor--or even the president! And while he's at it...fly to the moon! This exuberant story is perfect for any child who is ready to dream BIG. Are you in?

Review:

I originally noticed Lane Smith's work on the cover and picked up the book, flipped through it, laughed a lot, and added it to my Christmas book pile.  It wasn't until I was actually wrapping the book that I realized it was also written by Bob Shea.

We meet our little world dominator when he's been placed in time out.  Following in the footsteps of the best villains, he ominously states that "Soon... The entire world will know of my big plans".  He breaks out of time out, puts on his dad's "shiniest tie and fanciest shoes", climbs a mountain-like hill and shouts that he has BIG PLANS!  Coming down the hill he encounters the mynah bird:

"HEY BIRD, have you heard?  I got me some big plans!  BIG PLANS, I say.

What's it gonna be, bird?  In or out?"

"I'm in!" says the mynah bird.

"Okay, then!  Onward, bird!"

He manages to convince his way into the boardroom, onto a helicopter, to win a football game (because losing is NOT in the plans!), he's declared mayor, then president.

"Hi!  I'm the president.  I heard you got some big plans.  How  would you like to be assistant president?" he'll say.

"WHAT?  Maybe you didn't hear exactly how big my plans are?  Big Enough to be PRESIDENT president!"  I'll say.

"But that's my job!" he'll say.

"Look, are you a naysayer?"  I'll say.  "Do you say "NAY"?  I say."

"Uh... no?" he'll say.

"Then it's settled," I'll say.  "You're third in charge, reporting directly to the mynah bird!"

As president president, the boy informs the states that he has BIG PLANS and assigns a few states some jobs.

"PENNSYLVANIA!  Build a rocket ship!"

"IDAHO! Make some space suits using the latest potato technology!"

"MISSOURI!  Cheer up!  you're bringing me down."

"The rest of you, mill about!  MILL ABOUT, I say!"

They then "blast off into uncertainty!... Or the moon, whichever."  Once on the moon, the boy and the bird ensure that the whole world knows of his big plans.   We never do find out what the plans are, but this kid is a mover and a shaker, a very convincing talker, and did you hear? - He has BIG PLANS!  There's much arm waving and shouting in the story, so it's automatically a favorite for me.  I found that my older students (second grade and up) seemed to understand the story better, but everyone enjoyed it (because who doesn't enjoy yelling and arm waving?).

Again, the slideshow below is provided by Bob Shea through Flikr.

Verdict:

A little exhausting to read out loud, but so much fun.  The illustrations are delightful and full of details (take a close look at the last page) and the boy lives every kid's dream - he's in charge!  This book is full of awesome and it gets 6 stars!