Knot Cannot

Knot, a googly-eyed, looped piece of bright orange rope "aches to be like Snake," a bright green reptile who can slither, hiss, and shed her skin to look "brand-new." But when Snake is threatened by a sharp-beaked bird, Knot realizes he knows something Snake doesn't: how to tie her into a big, wide knot so the predator can't swallow her. The day is saved (gratitude is expressed as a forked-tongue lick), and Snake is eagerly schooled on how to turn herself into other knots, including a timber hitch and a stevedore. The text is peppered with word-play that morphs from a stern "Can Knot do this? Knot cannot" to "He's a frayed knot." Goofy, diagrammatic cartooning plays along, with lots of comically emphatic hand-drawn annotations and commentary ("TOO WIDE HA HA!" reads a key note that leads up to the rescue). In the talented, sublimely silly hands of Stone (Tallulah Plays the Tuba) and Lowery (the Kid Spy series), the question "What do I have to offer the world?" seems far less knotty. 4-8. Author's agent: Hilary McMahon, Westwood Creative Artists. Illustrator's agent: Susan McCabe, Lilla Rogers Studios. (Apr.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1--In this tongue-twisting tale, a knot of rope and a snake discover what they are capable of. Knot admires all the things Snake can do, such as swim and slither. But when Snake is suddenly faced with a situation it cannot handle, Knot steps in to help. Lowery's use of bold text, bright colors, and cartoon-style illustrations complement the whimsical wordplay. With its repetition, consonance, and homophones, this tale is a fun way for students to build word comprehension. VERDICT This humorous read-aloud will help young readers untangle some tricky vocabulary words and teach them valuable lessons about finding confidence in one's abilities.--Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Goofy, diagrammatic cartooning plays along, with lots of comically emphatic hand-drawn annotations and commentary ("TOO WIDE HA HA!" reads a key note that leads up to the rescue). In the talented, sublimely silly hands of Stone (Tallulah Plays the Tuba) and Lowery (the Kid Spy series), the question 'What do I have to offer the world?' seems far less knotty. —Publishers Weekly

The high color contrast design and goofy, thickly lined figures make for easy viewing . . . The true value, however, is in the playful literacy lesson, with the repetition of the 'ot' sound giving the book a helpful rhyming foundation for beginning readers, while other words provide a sophistication that will test more savvy readers' skills. —BCCB

A deliciously relentless barrage of punnery and other wordplay. —Booklist

With its repetition, consonance, and homophones, this tale is a fun way for students to build word comprehension . . . This humorous read-aloud will help young readers untangle some tricky vocabulary words and teach them valuable lessons about finding confidence in one's abilities. —School Library Journal