Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt?
by Derick Wilder (Author) K-Fai Steele (Illustrator)
Green Eggs and Ham meets Everyone Poops in this laugh-out-loud story that asks--and answers--the burning question in every kid's life.
Does a scarecrow have a butt?
Yep, you stuff him with a straw one.
And does a crayon have a butt?
Nope, but it can surely draw one.
This silly, funny, clever book will be the most quoted text in all of elementary school. Over the course of a long walk across a city, one curious kid needs to know: Does it have a butt? Everything from sheep to ghosts to dinosaurs is subjected to this all-important question, and Dad is a never-ending source of answers. On a laugh-out-loud father-child ramble, we come to see that every butt, from a bullfrog's to a zombie's, has its own distinctive, and distinctively hilarious, quality.
LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY: It's impossible to find a kid who doesn't giggle at the word butt. The repetition of the word, the varied assortment of butts, and the clever rhymes make this a book that both parents and children will return to over and over again.
A SNEAKY WAY TO TEACH ABOUT CONTEXT: The book isn't simply a repetition of one joke or word. Instead, it offers a crafty way of talking about what things mean in different contexts.
SILLY AND SWEET, NOT GROSS: Butt jokes can potentially cross a line and become offensive or insensitive, but the tone and choices throughout this book are sweet and innocent, making it a unique, accessible option for parents and educators who want to normalize the asking of difficult questions.
COUNT THE BUTTS! This book will change how you see the world: Not only will you start wondering about all inanimate objects' butts, you'll start seeing them everywhere! There are nearly 200 butts in the illustrations that aren't even mentioned in the text. Keen-eyed young readers will delight in the most hilarious seek-and-find they could ever imagine!
Perfect for:
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Educators and librarians
- Fans of funny books
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Publishers Weekly
As a light-brown-skinned father and child walk to school through a city that visually references San Francisco, an important question arises: "Which things do and don't have butts?" Wilder's (The Longest Letsgoboy) "super smart and wise" Dad is totally game to dialogue on the subject, and in rhyme: "Does a scarecrow have a butt?/ Yep, you stuff him with a straw one./ And does a crayon have a butt?/ Nope, but it can surely draw one." In addition to the discussed derrieres, which range from that of the titular bulldozer to those of a Sasquatch, zombies, and aliens, readers can spot many more bottoms rendered playfully in Steele's (All Eyes on Ozzy!) ink line and bright washes. The transgressively funny concept (plus plentiful puns and mentions of tush utility) will no doubt win over the target audience, but even more important is the portrait the book offers: one of a world in which questions serve as a common bond, curiosity is amply rewarded, and variety is the spice of life. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Jenna Pocius, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary. (May)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1--A gender neutral child and father are walking to school. The child's first-person narration indicates that there are always questions, because Daddy always knows the answers, and today's question is about butts. "Does a scarecrow have a butt? Yep, you stuff him with a straw one. And does a crayon have a butt? Nope, but it can surely draw one." The child asks about every single thing and the dad answers yes in a short funny manner, not always meant to be taken literally. This pattern repeats until the end of the book. The text is simple and stands out, but the wordplay may work better with first graders than younger children. As for the illustrations, there are butts in clouds, on billboards, in apartment windows, in tree branches (formed by leaves), and it's really quite a feat--a book about nothing more than butts. The neighborhood is diverse; the child and the father have brown skin. VERDICT Yes, a bulldozer has a butt, in this comical read-aloud for children who love humor on the edge.--Margaret Kennelly
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV009120 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Body
JUV009080 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Words
Stories in rhyme
Father and child
Curiosity
Buttocks
