UglyFish Bookclub

by Tedd Arnold

Reviewed by Marya and B.W.

This book is hilarious. It takes the everyday events of your bodily functions and talks about them from the perspective of a neurotic (nervous) toddler. The boy begins questioning what is going on when (GASP) his hair falls out as he is brushing it and his fears of going bald early in toddler-hood begin to surface. But it doesn’t stop there. He continues to get nervous when belly lint makes him think the stuffing inside his body is coming out. Naturally he questions his parents about all these concerns including the fact that his brain is coming out of his nose (also known as snot!!)

B.W. thought it was the funniest book ever. He loved the part where the little boy tries to solve all his problems by wrapping himself up in masking tape. Of course in the end after all his drama, his parents inform him of the realities of snot, belly lint, wrinkled skin and hair loss. Although, he still questions what the “stuff coming out of his ears” is!! If you’re curious about all the things going on in your body, you should pick up a copy of this book!!

Seema’s note: this book is unfortunately no longer available on Amazon. It sounds great, though and we’ll be checking for it at our local library–you should too!

Reviewed by Shark and Seema

Oh, this book.  I had it when I was little, and I am sure a lot of parents out there are familiar with Frances.  I had forgotten how clever and downright hilarious this little badger is! Her little songs are such fun. We tried to figure out what tune she was singing to, which was pretty funny.

In this book, Frances only wants to eat bread and jam, while her family (even the baby) eat an interesting variety. Finally, her parents decide that bread and jam is all Frances will be offered, and poor Frances starts to feel ‘like a jam jar, full-of-jam.’  Imagine if your parents gave in and gave YOU just your favorite food! How long do you think it would take you to get tired of it?

Reviewed by: Seema and Curly

Something about this book really cracks us up.  It’s about a gang of babies heading out on their own and getting into mischief while their parents are busy with a pie-eating contest.  The illustrations (pictures) are beautiful silhouettes (like shadows) of the babies and the trees, birds, butterflies and frogs they see.  It may not make a baby laugh–our two year old Thunder didn’t really get it–but the rest of us loved it.
Shark, who was absorbed in a book of his own, had to put his book down and see what those babies had gotten up to.

Curly’s note: I think the pictures are a little spooky. But I liked it anyway.