Big Bad Bubble
by Adam Rubin (Author) Daniel Salmieri (Illustrator)
An ordinary bubble may seem pretty harmless to you. To the monsters of La La Land, however, a fragile, shimmering bubble is an object of terror, and when the frightening habits of bubbles are detailed by a fear-mongering monster, Yerbert, Froofle, and Wumpus run away and cry.
But with encouragement from the narrator and from readers--"Go on, Wumpus, you can do it. (Tell Wumpus he can do it.)"--the three learn to confront their fears and triumph over the bubbles! An original, offbeat, and giggle-inducing take on conquering fears from the New York Times best-selling team responsible for the groundbreaking Those Darn Squirrels! books.
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Publishers Weekly
In this outing from the team behind Dragons Love Tacos and the Those Darn Squirrels books, lumpy, hairy monsters learn to handle their terror of bubbles, delivering a rollicking (but rational) examination of fear vs. reality. Wait--terror of bubbles? Well, yes. Mogo, an attention-loving monster, has been spreading misinformation about how bloodthirsty bubbles are. "Summer is the worst time for bubbles," he says knowledgeably. "That's when they go into a feeding frenzy." Rubin's voice-over narrator counsels Yerburt, Froofle, and Wumpus through their anxiety, coaching them, therapist-style, through their first encounter with actual bubbles: "Froofle, climb down from that tree. Look at your claws. You have pointy claws." "Go on, Wumpus. You can do it." Wumpus has big horns, and the bubble explodes as he summons his courage and pops it: "Kaboom!" Salmieri's pen-and-ink lines give unexpected delicacy to the story; the monsters' furry coats, painted in warm shades of gold, yellow, and red, stand out theatrically against the black backdrops. Whether readers will take the hint about unreasonable fears, they'll be back for giggle-fueled rereadings. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (May)
Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2--Due to a long-ago mishap with gum, Mogo convinces his fellow wacky monsters living in the darkness of La La Land that bubbles that pop in from the human world are treacherous. According to Mogo, bubbles are sneaky and travel in packs and that in summer, they "go into a feeding frenzy." Luckily, the narrator convinces Yerburt, Froofle, Wumpus, and Mogo to use their fangs, claws, and horns to dispatch the threatening orbs. They celebrate by chewing bubble gum, popping bubble wrap, and taking a bubble bath. With one crisis averted, troublemaking Mogo debuts his book The Truth About Butterflies. Salmieri's cartoon figures in watercolor, pen, and ink burst across murky backgrounds that mix the fanciful and the bizarre. The fearful Wild Thing--like monsters are comically depicted, and their problems are resolved with perfect pacing. This pair also collaborated on three "Those Darn Squirrels" (Clarion) books and will gain even more fans with this book.--Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
* "Rubin's voice-over narrator counsels Yerburt, Froofle, and Wumpus through their anxiety, coaching them, therapist-style, through their first encounter with actual bubbles. Salmieri's pen-and-ink lines give unexpected delicacy to the story [and] readers will take the hint about unreasonable fears, they'll be back for giggle-fueled rereadings."
—Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"The fearful Wild Thing-like monsters are comically depicted, and their problems are resolved with perfect pacing."
—School Library Journal
"Funny words and pictures combine to delight . . . this amusing romp will encourage young readers to put their own fears in perspective."
—The Wall Street Journal
"Big Bad Bubble might help kids get a bit of perspective on their own fears, and should certainly make them laugh at bedtime — that moment when the monsters — or whatever lurks under their particular beds — start to worry them."
—The New York Times
Adam Rubin is the author of Those Darn Squirrels and Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door. A major celebrity in the squirrel community, he lives in New York City.
Daniel Salmieri painted the squirrels in his backyard to prepare for this book, and they were annoyed. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit his website at www.danielsalmieri.com.JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV052000 - Juvenile Fiction | Monsters
Monsters
Bubbles
Fear
