Book Description

What is a typical guy moment, anyhow? Daniel Pinkwater remembers the disappointment of meeting his Lone Star Ranger hero up close and personal. Gordon Korman relishes the goofy ultra violence of the old Looney Tunes cartoons. Stephen King realizes that having your two hundred- pound babysitter fart on your five-year-old head prepares you for any literary criticism. And that's just a sampling from Guys Write for Guys Read, a fast-paced, high energy collection of short works: stories, essays, columns, cartoons, anecdotes, and artwork by today's most popular writers and illustrators. Guys Write will feature work from Brian Jacques, Jerry Spinelli, Chris Crutcher, Mo Willems, Chris Van Allsburg, Matt Groening, Neil Gaiman, the editors and columnists from Sports Illustrated, The Onion and Esquire magazines, and more. Selected by voters at the Guys Read Web site and compiled by Jon Scieszka, this wide-ranging collection of authors and illustrators shows that guys do read . . . and will read more if given things they enjoy reading. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What a delightful surprise!
I purchased this on a whim for my son's 13th birthday after receiving an Amazon recommendation.My son does not read voluntarily unless you count video game cheat sheets and Garfield cartoon books. The book arrived yesterday.I grabbed it along with the day's mail and headed out to pick up my son at school. I started reading the book in the middle, with Gary Paulsen's electric fence adventure, to amuse myself in a very slow carline.I was hooked and began racing through the selections picking out the authors of the stories our family has enjoyed over the years sometimes laughing out loud, othertimes recognizing all too well the growing pains of adolescence.My son finally arrived. I relenquished the book to him and asked him to indulge me and read the Paulsen story outloud.He did and was hooked as well.He read several selections to me outloud then took the book to bed with him, had it with him through breaksfast, and carried it to school as it is the last days of the school year so he will have extra time to read it.This from a boy who has never read anything over 100 pages in his life.

I will wait patiently for my chance to finish the book and will encourage Dan to write his own review but wanted to share the fun this book had brought us.I can see that we will be sharing this with Dad, Grandfather, and my young adult son and that this will be a college graduation gift for my daughter's boyfriend.What a great summer reading book for the whole family. ... Read more

Book Description

In this best-selling collaboration between author (and performer) Jon Scieszka and illustrator Lane Smith, with music by noted composer Kurt Hoffman, you will hear Alexander T. Wolf tell the story from his point of view. Side one features narration and music, while side two has music alone, so that you can read it out loud by yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

What Really Happened
We all know the story of the 3 little pigs but is it the true story? In the original story the 3 little pigs were the protaganists and the wolf was the villian. But now we hear the story from the wolf's point of veiw in "The True Story Of The 3 Little Pigs!" written by Jon Scieszka.It seems The Big Bad Wolf,with a Big Bad Cold, only wanted to bake a cake for his dear old granny. When he went to his neighbors for a cup of sugar, he sneezed their houses down and he coudn't leave good meat to spoil. So when the media saw the incident they thought it was too boring. So they spiced it up with "The Big Bad Wolf," and he was locked away.

This book is a great read for kids as well as adults. The pictures in this book are very amusing to look at and is good for bedtime stories. Parents your kids will love this book and kids your parents will love it too!

GREAT book for not only kids but ADULTS..trust me!!
I'm STILL chuckling after buying this book and reading it before gifting it to my nephew Greg, 11, and Kayla, 7. And,. as with other books by Jon Scieszka, the huge problem is: I want this book for MYSELF.

The bottom line is that in his version, wonderfully illstrated by Lane Smith, the Three Little Pigs is the ultimate story of SPIN CONTROL. This time, unlike in a zillion other versions, the wolf is telling HIS side of the story -- what REALLY happened. And to hear him tell his story (with all of the familiar elements and a delicious economy of words) it's all a terrible mistunderstanding about his allergy, his desire not to waste food, and distortions by the press.

None of this gives any of this away, since the genius of this is not only in the conception, but in the TELLING of the story. Don't consider this just a book for kids. You can EASILY gift it to friends, relatives, favorite (and unfavorite) politicians and members of the media. It's the perfect late 20th-early-21st century retelling of the story, with the wolf as the poor misunderstood victim (of the police, the media, and his health etc). Just like the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, this works on two levels so the adults will be as delighted as the kids by this story -- which could easily have run as one of Mad Magazine's better pieces.

Get it for the kids, read it for yourself...and get ready to realize what a great gift this would be for adults of any political persuasions. LOVED IT so much...I hate to give this to the kids! Kids of ALL ages will love this story, whether you read it to them or they read it themselves (so will the kids under 40 years old).

It wasn't my fault!
Did you know that the wolf is really innocent? He just had a cold. This book can be a good introduction to the concept of two sides to every story. It's creative and enjoyable to read.

Max's Book Review
I read the book, "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka. This is a fantastic childrens' book based on the original story of the three little pigs. I really enjoyed the creative, detailed illustrations and the interesting plot. According to this version of "The Three Little Pigs", the wolf is completely innocent. I also liked the fluent writing style of the book. Reading this book, you gain the understanding of the wolf's side of the story, which is not often read. I would recommend "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" to someone who enjoys humorous books. I think that this book is one that both parents and children can enjoy reading together! I really enjoyed this book and i think you will to!

An Amazingly Funny Book
I loved reading The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. It was very entertaining and fun to read. Not only for children, but for teens and adults as well. It shows that every criminal should get their chance to prove their side of the story. It gave the wolf's perspective of the story of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. This book was interesting because the wolf came up with such a hilarious story for what really happened. He said that he was going to their houses to get a cup of sugar for a cake he was making! The wolf also said that he just sneezed when the pig's houses fell down, he didn't really mean to knock them down. (They should have been built better anyways!) He said that the media just jazzed up the trial to make it seem more interesting! This book had comical illustrations to interpret what was happening in the story. The illustrations like almost like a collage. I think this is a great book, and that every child that had heard the story of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf should definitely read this humorous book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem?You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes till thebus leaves.Is there enough time?You have 3 shirts and 2 pairs ofpants -- can you make 1 good outfit?Don't worry -- it's just the Math Curse striking! An amusing book about dealing with numbers in everyday life. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A fun view of math anxiety and math ideas in everyday life.
I teach math to adults, and I use this book in my classes when I discuss math anxiety. I also use it to illustrate some major math ideas, such as base numbers (important in computers and video games), the Fibonacci series (important in natural science and a good illustration of how math developed in the abstract can often later be found to have practical application), logic, and combinations. The book is chock full of math concepts, all presented in the context of everyday circumstances, which makes it a very valuable tool in making the argument to my students for their need to study math. It is also a very, very entertaining book, and all of my students can relate to the girl's frustration and anxiety. My 9 year old son reads this book at least once a week (for the last year, now!), and still laughs when he reads it. It is wonderfully illustrated and well written, a true gem. I recommend it for children and adults alike, and especially for math teachers of all ages.

Great book, but Amazon.com has reading level listed wrong!
I have a computer science degree, so have taken a LOT of math, and enjoyed most of it. My two children, ages 9 and 11, have mixed feelings about math. All three of us enjoyed Math Curse immensely. The reviewer who said it would alienate children is dead wrong; and the one who complained about repetition must be missing a lot of the book. There's new surprises on every page. Even the price on the jacket is funny! One problem: Amazon.com recommends this book for ages 4-8. That should be corrected to grades 4-8. It's definitely not for the 'Goodnight Moon' set. I'm about to ignore the age/grade recommendations, anyway, and buy a copy for my math-loving teenage nephew. I'm betting he'll get a big kick out of its irreverence and math in-jokes.

Not all Curses Are Bad!
I absolutley loved this book. The illustrations along with the story line brings about a wonderfull method to get children (of all ages)thinking about math. Whether they like it or not, math is a part of their daily lives. This book makes math fun and gets kids thinking about how perhaps they will experience a "math curse" one day.

Math Curse Review
Math Curse was a big hit when I read it to a 4Th grade class I was observing. The pictures are vivid and grabbed their attention. It contains a lot of usefull information on everyday life, like how much time you have to get dressed, to eat, and how everything can be looked at like a math problem.I would definatly recommend Math Curse to children and adults of all ages.

Math Curse or Math Fun for All
This book is entertaining for all ages. It combines charts, riddles, terms, and more in an amusing tale of mathematical chaos that helps children to realize even math can be fun. Although the book looks skinny, it is actually filled with little lesson plans that are great for elementary classrooms. Not only is the story cleverly written, but the illustrations are fantastic as well. I assure you that whether you are young or just young at heart, you'll enjoy falling under this math curse. ... Read more

Book Description

You probably know that Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. Didyou know that he also invented an early version of a helicopter and a tank, andthat he planned to execute the Time Warp Trio for spying on his inventions?Sam's bright idea to look for the inventor of the Book takes the guys to 15thcentury Italy to meet up with Leonardo. But it's going to take at least threemore bright ideas, two magic tricks, and one great invention to get them out oftrouble and safely back home. If not, it could be a lifetime of Italian armytoilet-cleaning detail for Joe, Sam, and Fred. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Every once in a while a book crosses our desks that makes us sit quietly delighted--except for a few squeaks of unmitigated joy--and this oversized, energized, stylized, highly prized book of fables is one of them. Jon Scieszka has a simple philosophy of the fable: "If you can't say something nice about someone, change the guy's name to Donkey or Squid." After all, the alleged Aesop did it. Squids Will Be Squids offers lessons such as "Everyone knows frogs can't skateboard, but it's kind of sad that they believe everything they see on TV." Sure, it's goofy, but it's also saying to kids, "Don't believe everything you see on TV." In "Duckbilled Platypus vs. Beefsnakstick," the bragging platypus and his beefy buddy teach us "Just because you have a lot of stuff, don't think you're so special." Of course, there is nothing heavy-handed here--morals such as "He who smelt it, dealt it" and "Elephants never forget, except sometimes" satirically prance amid the more heartfelt snippets of sagacity.

Scieszka and illustrator Lane Smith are unparalleled in their eccentricity and unrelenting in their boyish, twisted-yet-innocent zeal. In co-creations from The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales to The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs to Math Curse, Scieszka's wacko sense of humor and Smith's quirky,always gorgeous artwork thrillingly congeal in Molly Leach's creative, exuberant design. We see many picture books that are better suited for adults than kids, but this fine specimen is truly meant for goofballs of all ages. (Click to seea samplespread. Illustration © 1998 Lane Smith, reproduced with permission of Viking, a division of Penguin Putnam.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Kids love this book....
I'm writing this on behalf of my granddaughters ages 6, 8, 10, and 12. I'm no expert on children's books, but rather read what parents, grandparents, and teachers report about the various books, and try to make purchases based on this information. I especially like the feedback from Amazon.com readers and wanted to pay back all the kind advice I've read.

My grandaughters report they love this book. When the Amazon.com box containing "Squids Will Be Squids..." arrived, I am told the girls squabbled over whose book it would be (I like to let them choose from oldest to youngest). My 10-year old grand-daughter Amelia has a wry sense of humor, and she especially appreciated the 'Fresh Morals' and recommends them.

Crosses all age bounderies
We have had this book for over a year and purchased it afterbeing lucky enough to hear a reading of it by the author before it wasreleased. I have six children ranging in age from 4 to 16 and each one of us loves this book for different reasons. I love it becuase it is one of a very few childrens' books which is really funny in a smart way. My four year old loves it for the stories and the great and intriguing illustrations, and my nine year old boy loves it for the nine year old boy appeal it obviously has. Everyone else loves it for their own reasons but it is read over and over again and our four year old can ALWAYS capture a family member to read it to her which is not always the case with other books.

Can't say something nice about someone? Make them a squid
Those of us who remember Jon Sciezka and Lane Smith as the author and illustrator of "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!" will know exactly what they are getting into when they pick up "Squids Will Be Squids: Fresh Morals, Beastly Fables." The thesis here is that even before Aesop a legion of storytellers have told stories about annoying, weird, pain-in-the-neck people, turned them into animals, added a moral, and thereby changed rude gossip and bad jokes into fables. The idea here is present a collection of fables that Aesop might be telling if he was alive today. The moral, according to Sciezka and Smith, is that "If you can't say something nice about someone, change the guy's name to Donkey or Squid."

What young readers will find in these inventive fables are not lessons about necessity being the mother of invention or look before you leap, but more practical concerns for the modern world such as do not believe everything you see on TV, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and just because you have a lot of stuff do not think you are so special. Some of the fables you need to think about to get to the real point, such as the moral "Don't play with matches," which is really about something even worse than matches (i.e., people you are warned to stay away from). Throughout the book you will find a constant onslaught of wicked humor (the grasshopper's history assignment is priceless) and even if it over the heads of many young readers, they will understand the jokes down the road when they return to this book. After all, the morals of fables are supposed to be timeless, even if they were just made up for this 1998 book.

Most of the stories are told about animals, from frogs and squids to elephants and slugs, but there are also stories involving things like a tongue and a BeefSnakStik (complete with registered trademark). Smith's illustrations are creative and his wife, Molly Leach, provides the exotic design for the book, which will provide appropriate visual stimuli to go with all the morals. The end result is that "Squids Will Be Squids" tells contemporary fables in a contemporary way, and if you have a complaint about the use "squids" as the plural for "squid," then remember to read the fine print of this tongue-in-cheek volume (okay, in the fable about the hand, foot and tongue the tongue is obvious out of the cheek, but that is a different point entirely). Young readers will no doubt be inspired to come up with their own fables, and this book even includes solid advice on how to do that as well.

Silly, wacky fun!
Jon Scieszka has shifted from parodying Mother Goose to poking fun at Aesop and his fables. After an introduction to Aesop, Scieszka explains that this book contains fables that Aesop might have written "if he were alive today and sitting in the back of class daydreaming and goofing around instead of paying attention and correcting his homework like he was supposed to."

Lane Smith's illustrations add to the absurdity of the fables with wonderfully distorted facial expressions that turn animals and inanimate objects into oddly shaped humans. The characters in these fables are not the familiar hare, fox, lion, and mouse. Instead we meet new characters like elephant, ant, skunk, grasshopper, frog and of course, squid. The morals range from the obvious (Don't ever listen to a talking bug; Don't play with matches) to the familiar (He who smelt it dealt it; It takes one to know one) to the hilarious (You should always tell the truth, but if your mom is out having the hair taken off her lip, you might want to forget a few of the details). Not all of the fables work as well as they could, but there is enough humor in the rest of the fables to delight both children and adults.

I found this book hilariously funny. It's one of my personal favorites.

It Is What It Is
In children's literature, the main character usually is the cover subject and title such as "Charlotte's Web," "Froggy Plays Soccer," and even "Harry Potter," because the targeted audience is assumed not to be sophisticated enough to interpret indirect meanings.

Then there is the trio of Jon, Lane and Molly, who, like Maurice Sendak, love to thumb their noses at convention. "Squids Will Be Squids," (a play on "it is what it is," perhaps?) is not about the ocean life of squids - it is a collection of wacky stories with morals. Apparently young readers were sophisticated enough to figure that out using the cover art and cheeky tone as their guide.

The five and nine-year old I read this book with laughed with abandon even if they didn't always get the inside jokes behind the stories or the morals. Bathroom humor like "He who smelt it dealt it," was a big hit as was "It takes one to know one." I wasn't crazy about this work but I did love the title, and its exhuberant, devil-may-care attitude and the numerous double entendres. The layout and design are extraordinary. There's plenty in here to entertain little and big readers.

This is not a read alone book, though. The power in this work comes in sharing the experience. Otherwise I think it will fall flat. The moral to this review of "Squids will be Squids: Fresh Morals Beastly Fables" is "Never judge a book by its cover." ... Read more

Book Description

When their summer reading list accidentally gets placed inside The Book, Joe, Sam, and Fred find themselves caught in a bizarrely bookish universe. Trapped in Hoboken while villains from children's classics run amok, the intrepid trio must find The Book before the Headless Horseman, Long John Silver, and a dastardly Mr. (Teddy) Bear do away with the heroes of their stories. Will the guys make it in time? Or (horrors!) will Alice in Wonderland become Frankenstein in Wonderland?

"Nonstop action and lots of laughs." --School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Absolutely Terrific!
The Time Warp Trio set out on their best adventure yet, when Fred leaves their school's summer reading list stuck inside the pages of their time travel vehicle, "The Book". Now, the three are stuck in literature, where the bad and evil characters are out to get all the good ones and take over the stories. This is a wonderfully written, witty, funny story that will have your kids laughing out loud. Perfect for third through sixth graders, kids will recognize characters from stories they've read and some that parents and teachers have read to them. A page turner to the end, this is the perfect book to read once the school year has ended. The only negative thing I can say about Summer Reading is Killing Me, is that it's over way too soon.

Summer Reading is Killing me
I like this book because it combines many characters and stories into a funny book.Fred, Joe and Sam accidentally put there Summer reading list into the book and get whisked into there latest adventure. Will the bad guy destroy all the good characters? Or will Fred,Sam and joe save the day? Find out in the latest book in the Time Warp Trio series! I think that if you are between the ages of 7 and 11 and like funny books,this is for you!

GREAT READING!!
My 9 year old read it and laughed out loud. He liked it sooo much that he read it again.

There's three boys and they have a book you see...
Summer Reading is Killing Me is a good book because it's about three boys who have a book.This book is no ordinary book because it time warps.This time the green slime took them into a book with villans and good guys.The major villan is a mad teddy bear he wants to take over the world.So they have to save all the books and the world.I gave this book five stars because it's adventurous and funny.

Inside one book with a million main characters
Inside one book with a million main characters. Joe, Sam, and
Fred are sent to Hoboken to help all the good characters defeat
all the bad characters, including Mr. Bear. Being saved from a girl that is all the girls not on the summer reading list is even worst. It is up to Fred as he fights off the parrot for the BOOK. Will JUNIOR CLASSICS, VOLUME TWO: ONCE UPON A TIME save the day? ... Read more

Book Description

It all started when I told my friend Art I would meet him on the corner of Fifthand Fifty-Third. I didn’t see him. So I asked a lady walking up the avenue,"Have you seen Art?" "MoMA?" asked the lady. "Just down Fifty-Third Street here." When this address turns out to be the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, confusion andhilarity ensue.As the narrator continues looking for Art inside MoMA, he views the best pieces ofmodern art. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone’s favorite time-travelers are changing their style!The Time Warp Trio series now features a brand-new, eye-catching design, sureto appeal to longtime fans, and those new to Jon Scieszka’s wacky brand of humor. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is a really funny Book
This book was really funny because the time trio makes fun of Ancient Egypt. But the only way you would think its a funny book is if are a kid and if you read the book good

great fun for young adventurers
If you are looking for something besides Goosebumps to interest your 6-11 year old's this is it. You will need to allow lots of extra time for the giggles to stop when you read about the adventures of three boys who find a magic book which allows them to time-warp. Know that when you read one of these books you won't be finished until you read all 6 in the series. Great for read aloud or middle elementary readers. By the author of the Stinky Cheese Man.

The Excititng Mystery
This book is exciting. You always want to turn the page. It is funny and interesting.It takes place in ancient Egypt.In Tut Tut there is a girl named Annie. She is 6 and two brothers. I would tell you to read it.The name is Tut Tut.

The best book ever
I give this book five stars because it is very funny. It is also adveturous. The characters in this story (Joe, Fred, Sam) get in a lot of trouble and Sam almost gets eaten by a crocodile. I don't want to say more because I want you to read it for your self. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

What a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you ever wanted a book you can back in time with? Well here's a book that your gonna love! This time Joe, Fred, Sam, and Joe's Anna get stuck in Eygpt.There they meet a evil preaist named Hasnut. He tries to get there hands choped but he doesn't sucseed. They also meet a king named Thomse III. He is there age. They become really good friends. I'm not going to spoil the book for but think about these qustion. How will they get back? And, What will happen to hasnut? So get out there and buy it!!! ... Read more

Book Description

"Amoeba"

Don't ever tease a wee amoeba

By calling him a her amoeba.

And don't call her a him amoeba.

Or never he a she amoeba.

'Cause whether his or hers amoeba,

They too feel like you and meba.

What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-aloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole?What ifamoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe areall irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse,that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes . . . the atomic joke is on you.Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who createdMath Curse, could make science so much fun. A CD with text read by Scieszka andSmith is included. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If geese had graves, Mother Goose would be rolling in hers. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales retells--and wreaks havoc on--the allegories we all thought we knew by heart. In these irreverent variations on well-known themes, the ugly duckling grows up to be an ugly duck, and the princess who kisses the frog wins only a mouthful of amphibian slime. The Stinky Cheese Man deconstructs not only the tradition of the fairy tale but also the entire notion of a book. Our naughty narrator, Jack, makes a mockery of the title page, the table of contents, and even the endpaper by shuffling, scoffing, and generally paying no mind to structure. Characters slide in and out of tales; Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin, and the Giant at the top of the beanstalk snacks on the Little Red Hen. There are no lessons to be learned or morals to take to heart--just good, sarcastic fun that smart-alecks of all ages will love. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

I want to hoard this book (IT'S MINE!)
GREAT! What other word can possibly come to mind reading The Stinky Cheese Man? I originally bought this book for my niece and nephew, Kayla and Greg. But before I gave it to them I read it myself and I simply could not stop laughing.

The best way to describe this to parents and adults is: it's a combination of Rocky and Bullwinkle (working on two humor levels), Mad Magazine, Mother Goose, and absolute literary anarchy. If you're an adult and have any sense of humor whatsoever you're going to laugh out loud. The best way to describe this to parents is to quote Greg, 10, who, upon being told he'd get this book said: "GREAT! It has those funny stories and those crazy drawings. I love it!!"

How did author Jon Scieszka and illustrator hit on a book that truly appeals to ALL ages? The book is a parody, moving visually and in its text as fast as a guided missle, but never for one millisecond underestimating the intelligence of its kid -- or adult -- readership. My Special 10 Year Anniversary Edition of this book contained a "Long Lost Stupid Fairy Tale" printed under the cover, the Boy Who Cried Cow Patty, a take off of the boy who cried "Wolf." (There is a less kid friendly version of this great story circulating on the internet).

Once you open the book (and I will not give it all away) you are immediately comedically clobbered with the Little Red Hen, who can't wait until the title page is seen to start her story and is upset with the management. Fonts, page layout, are all satirized or exploited for maximum laughs. Any kid who has ever had a fairy tale read to him/her and looked at a typical fairy tale book will get the visual joke immediately. So this book is not only a book they can read but a book that will make them WANT to read MORE...and see that reading can truly be FUN.

But it's the screamingly funny text and outrageously zany illustrations that have made this book a (well-deserved) legend. Even though it contains the alleged Surgeon General's stamp-disclaimer warning that it "has been determined that these tales are fairly stupid and probably dangerous to your health" these nutty stories are anything but dangerous. The bottom line is that they're comedy-parodies that make all ages think, but don't require a degree to get the joke. The book succeeds from its bonus tale printed under its book cover to its final silly page.

Tales include Chicken Licken with its great ending (comedy coach Greg Dean writes that comedy is a "shattered assumption" and that's what we get here and it's FUN); The Princess and the Bowling Ball (take off on the Princess and the Pea); The Really Ugly Duckling (probably a truer version of this tale than has ever appeared before); the Other Frog Prince (the frog wants a kiss...but what is he??); Little Red Running Shorts; Jack's Bean Problem, Cinderumpelstiltskin; the Tortoise and the Hair; and the absolute all time classic The Stinky Cheese Man, a superb satire of the Gingerbread man with a laugh-out-loud ending.

This book SHOULD be titled "The Stinkey Cheese Man and Other Absolutely Hilarious Witty Tales." If you like satire/parody and want your kids (or you) to read an upscale Mad-type take off on fairy tales, this book is for YEW! Now my only problem is: where can I HIDE this book after the kids read it, so I can keep it for myself???

danger, repeated reading required
Our family came at this a little bit sideways. We picked up The Book That Jack Wrote first, mostly because the paintings by Daniel Adel are absolutely
extraordinary, though the rhyme, by Jon Scieszka, based on the classic The House that Jack Built, is fun too. Then I realized that Mr. Scieszka was the author
of both The Stinky Cheese Man, which you often see on recommended book lists, and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, which several other authors of
childrens' books had chosen as one of their favorites in Salon Magazine several years ago. So now we own all three and read them almost every night.

It's somewhat absurd that we refer to the use of self-reference and the ironic blend of fact and fiction within fiction as post-modern, since such elements were
used in one of the first novels ever written, Don Quijote, and have never gone terribly far out of fashion since. Nor is childrens' literature a stranger to these
techniques, as a generation of parents who were raised on Jay Ward's Fractured Fairy Tales can well attest. But Mr. Scieszka is an adept practitioner of the
style and it does tend to make kids' books easier for adults to read and enjoy.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is written from the perspective of Alexander T. Wolf as he explains that the whole story is really just a big
misunderstanding, mostly the result of sensationalistic journalism. Meanwhile, The Stinky Cheese Man is a rather more pungent version of the Gingerbread
Man, who can't even get anyone to run, run, run as fast as they can to catch him because of the awful stench he gives off. The illustrations in these two, by
Lane Smith, are less stunning than those by Mr. Adel in The Book That Jack Wrote, but go well with the somewhat manic mood of the stories.

You can't go wrong with any of the three, but be warned, your kids will require repeated readings of each or all.

Book that Jack Wrote : Text : B Paintings : A+

True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and Stinky Cheese Man : Text : A Illustrations : B

4.7 stars
Though some of the humor may not be for preschool children, The Stinky Cheese Man is great for all chilren attending grade school. All children will enjoy the pictures.

The twists of each story(Cinderella, Little Red Ridding Hood...) will also get a small laugh from even the most withdrawn and shy children. The Stinky Cheese Man is ideal for the first day of school and will make almost any child comfortable around the teacher who reads it.

Cow Patty!
LOVE this book! About half the humor is for grown-ups, but don't be afraid to try it out with a kid around the 1st grade level. My son and I laugh ourselves silly whenever we read the book.

The art is great, and I love the hidden story on the inside of the dust jacket. This is an oddly put together book (that's part of the hook), so it can be challenging to read the first couple of times, but it's certainly worth the effort.

Run run as fast as you can...
Making use of every bookflap, endpaper, table of contents, flyleaf, and ISBN box, Jon Scieszka (go on...pronounce it) and Lane Smith teamed up to bring us the picture book that gives kids a lot more credit than most. Many adults will sit their little ones down with the same boring fairy tales with the same boring fairy tale lessons. Kids like fairy tales, no question, but kids also love the subversive. So if you hand them a book like, "The Stinky Cheese Man", that undermines everything fairy tales stand for, the children will fall on their knees in praise.

The book is a madcap collection of dismembered tales and stories. Didn't much care for the ending of the original "Ugly Duckling"? Well here's your chance to see the real (and realistic) finale to the tale. Think "Little Red Riding Hood" could be pepped up a bit by calling it, "Little Red Running Shorts"? Go wild. Scieszka is one of those rare authors that know exactly how to get little kids in stitches without resorting to the usual scatological humor and innuendo. This book is one wild ride. Characters frequently break through the fourth wall to confront the reader directly. There's a mixing and melding to the book, sometimes ending with the untimely demise of boring or annoying characters. I think it is safe to say that prior to reading this story, I had never had the pleasure of watching Foxy Loxy get pummeled by a book's Table of Contents. So thank you, Mr. Scieszka.

But thanking Scieszka without tipping one's hat to Lane Smith is like feeding bananas to buffalos. It just doesn't make sense. Smith is every bit up to the task of matching Scieszka feather to feather and foul to foul on this intrepid fairy tale adventure. Characters appearing in this book look like nothing so much as a nightmare of texts, fabrics, and shapes. Lane has always reminded me of graphic novelist Dave McKean (of "The Wolves in the Walls" fame), but with a few more childlike sensibilities. These pictures are meant to disturb, but not scare. Rather than finding Lane's grotesqueries fierce, children are endlessly amused by them. And to be frank, so am I. They're great. This book, is great. And the experience of reading it is nothing but a fan-freakin'-tastic experience. ... Read more

Book Description

Joe, Sam, and Fred have been thrown back in time yet again. This time the Trio find themselves whisked by The Book from a basketball court in Brooklyn to the main ring ball court in Chich&eacuten Itz&aacute, Mexico. The year is 1000 a. d. and the rules are a little different. Now the boys are playing for their lives with the Mayan High Priest as their opponent. Will they be able to get home before they learn the true meaning of a sudden death penalty?

Illustrated by Adam McCauley. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sam and Company are back again
The time hopping friends are back again, this time they are 1000 years in the past in Ancient Mexico. My kids love the Time Warp Trio. Knights of the Kitchen Table was the first chapter book my 8 year read, and he was hooked.

This book is great for the reluctant readers (generally boys). Sam and company find adventure, play some sports, and have some fun with puns (as usual).

I gave this book only 4 stars because some of the names in the story may be hard to pronounce for young readers. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I really liked this book
The book that I read was ok Because the story has a little bit of everthing like snow white and the gingerbread house. The frog prince is not happy living with the princess at first. she bugs him because he still acts like a frog. He jumps around and looks for witches to turn him back into a frog. At the end he realizes that he still loves the princess and they live happily ever after.

I liked this book because it has surpsises and I liked the artwork too. it had really strange pictures.

One of the most original books I've ever read!
It's 9PM. The kids are all bathed, jammied up, tucked in, and ready for their bedtime story. I've had a hard day and my powers of creative book selection are nonexistent. Do I go with critter books or Seuss? Neither - at least not since I found "The Frog Prince Continued" by Steve Johnson and Jon Scieszka. In what has to be one of the most original and entertaining books of any kind, the authors have managed to combine wacky graphics with wonderfully off-center fairy tale fragments to create a story that begs to read over and over. Ever since she kissed his "slimy frog lips", the Prince and Princess have been whining and nagging about married life and the poor Prince can see only one way out of the turmoil - to find a witch that can turn him back into a frog. His hilarious journey through all of fairy-tale witchdom in search of his amphibious ends simply begs to be supplied with your own creative voices. When he meets his match in the definitely blonde and ditzy godmother from Cinderella, his situation goes rapidly downhill. Does he live to hop another day? Will the princess take him back? The perfect happy ending will satisfy both you and your kids and will keep you reaching for this book time after time. If I had one wish, it would be for Steve and Jon to fracture another fairy tale in a so elegant and entertaining fashion

The prince kissed the princess and....
"...and they lived happily ever after." Or did they? The Frog Prince and his Princess aren't getting along too well. He can't seem to stop trying to catch flies on his tongue, or bouncing on the furniture. His Princess, well, in short the relationship just isn't working out. One day the Princess threw an awful fit, and the Frog Prince decides to get someone to turn him back into a frog. After several adventures in which only a good knowledge of fairy tales, long legs and patience keep him safe, he comes back to his castle after realizing the worth of his Princess, and the two go back to living happily ever after. This time however, things are slightly different.

The pictures in this book couldn't be called cute and cuddly, or even cheerful, unless the one doing the calling either doesn't know the meanings of the words or was being sarcastic. The story is told well, and flows nicely. This is a fun book for one who always wonders what happens next.

Loggie-log-log-log

Frog Prince
I hate it when books leave you in suspense of what it left to happen. This book is a perfect example of what should be done to books. It gives you an update of what happens from the frog becomes a prince. I found it to be very good.

A Fairy Tale with a Twist
"The Princess kissed the frog. He turned into a prince.And they lived happily ever after..." Well not really. The Princess nags; the Frog Prince has bad amphibian habits that drive her crazy and neither are living very happily. So the Frog Prince decides to go out and find a witch to turn him back into a frog. Along the way, he meets familiar characters from other stories and finds out that maybe life wasn't so bad after all, with the princess. In fact, upon returning home, the Frog Prince kisses the Princess and... This is a silly, irreverent story, told in hip language, with a wonderful twist at the end that will delight and amuse children of all ages. Steve Johnson's illustrations are marvelous and add just the right touch to compliment the story. Great fun for the entire family, The Frog Prince Continues is a story not to be missed. ... Read more

Book Description

One minute the guys are wrestling around in Joe's room, the next minute The Book has transported them back to ancient Rome-and face to face with one big old gladiator. Luckily Joe, Sam and Fred, the Time Warp Trio, have seen enough professional wrestling to make it through gladiator school-but not even a bodyslam can help them at the Colosseum.Will our trusty heroes be able to find The Book and hightail it out of there-or will the Romans turn them into mincemeat first?

"[The Time Warp Trio's] tongue-in-cheek humor, laced with understatement and wordplay, makes for laugh-out-loud reading." (School Library Journal, starred review) ... Read more

Reviews (7)

See You Later Gladiator
I gave my book a 2 out of 5 because the ending was too easy and the book was confusing. Then when they had time to go find the book they were looking for they were doing a burping contest.
The book is about these three kids and they're around a gladiator that wants to kill them and try to talk him out of it but it doesn't work. I would recommend this book to people who like fighting.

See You Later Gladiator
Michael P. wrote:

I gave the book 2 stars because I did not like it because it was weird. There was a burping scene and that is why is was weird. It is about 3 boys who are looking for a book to get back home. But first they had to get out of the net that the gladiator threw at them. I would recommend this book to people who like fighting and burping.

See You Later Gladiator
Anthony C. wrote the following:

I gave the book 5 stars. I think the book is good. I think I like it when they fight the gladiator. I also like when they go in the colusseum by the king. It is about when three boys get time traveled to the gladiator time. The gladiators go after the three boys because they want to capture them and kill them. I recommend this book to everyone who likes silly books.

Easy summer read
My son recently wrote the following:

The Time Warp Trio books contain amazing pictures by Lane Smith and humorous stories by Jon Scieszka (of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales fame). Time Warp Trio books are entertaining and easy to read and were probably written to encourage kids who don't usually read much to read more.

In See You Later Gladiator, the three friends find themselves in Ancient Rome, face-to-face with a gladiator about to make short work of them. They pass themselves off as powerful magicians. Their only hope for survival is to find The Book and skedaddle before they encounter any more sword-wielding gladiators.

Enjoy this "quick" summer read!

Gladiators beware!
This story is about three boys named Joe, Sam, and Fred. These three boys have a very strange book that, when they say special words, it will transport them to a different time. In order to get back home, they have to find the book which is hidden in Rome, and that is where they are too! When they arrive, they are in a Gladiator stadium! To find out more, read See You Later Gladiator. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Henry P. Baloney needs to come up with a very good, verybelievable excuse for being late to szkola yet again--or he's in bigtrouble with his teacher Miss Bugscuffle. But never fear! Henry has a doozyof a story. You see, it all started when he misplaced his trusty yellow no. zzzimulis. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, he was on arazzo blasting off into space, where he eventually landed on the planetAstrosus. All went well there, as the intrepid explorer entertained the Astroguys with his funny piksas--until they decided Henry and hispiksas would be entertaining to eat. Things go on in this vein untilsomehow, miraculously, Henry P. Baloney ends up back in his classroom, amere seven minutes late--but still one writing utensil short!

Trust the ultracreative author/illustrator pair, Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith(The Stinky CheeseMan and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, The True Story of the 3Little Pigs!, the Time Warp Trio series, and more), to mastermind aplot this bizarre and yet somehow familiar to any school kid. Sure, Henry P.Baloney is a cute, saucer-eyed, green alien, but he has problems just like youand me--such as the threat of Permanent Lifelong Detention. Remarkably, asScieszka reports in his afterword, when he received and decoded thetransmission of this story (directly from deep space, mind you), it was writtenin a combination of many Earth languages, including Finnish, Swahili,Latvian, Esperanto, and Inuktitut (decoder included). Go figure.

Caldecott Honor artist Lane Smith must have spent a lot of time in detention,doodling away the hours. His weird, wild, wonderful pictures tell at least halfthe story, illustrating for readers' enlightenment just what a zimulis("pencil" in Latvian) or speelplaats (Dutch for "playground") lookslike. Fans of this ingenious pair will not be disappointed and may even makea twrf (Welsh for "noise") of joy! (Ages 5 to 9) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (8)

late again
Baloney by Jon scieszcka is an educational and a fun book! It is funny how he makes up things to get out of trouble! He goes to different places like the planet unlucky. It's educational because it uses different languages and translates them. A main event in the story is when he plugs the laser with his pencil. You should read this book; the setting took place in space. To me it's a great book

Jabberwocky variant
This book tells about a little boy who is late for school. When the teacher asks him for his excuse, the boy comes up with a whopper of a tale full of some very strange words. Some of the words are almost familiar, while others sound like they are from outer space. That is, if you don't know Latvian, Finnish, or Inuqtitut, since each of the words is a real world from some language of the world. Despite the strangeness of the words, the story is perfectly understandable due to the excellent illustrations. The book includes a glossary at the back, explaining the source and meaning of each of the strange words. The book is not scary at all, and it is good fun, especially for boys. It contains about 500 words.

a dog that won't hunt
I was saddened when I did not like Baloney, Henry P. I have come to expect so much from John Scieszka and Lane Smith. I hoped that a book about an alien student trying to explain what happened to his homework (especially when the story begins with the alien child being abducted by other aliens) would be a great platform to showcase the talents of this team. It sadly has not proved so.

Baloney, Henry P. suffers from both poor illustrations and a lack of humor. The plot line is forced rather than well laid out. These are aberrations in the work of Scieszka/Smith.

In the interests of not judging others too harshly (lest I, as a result, am left without excuse) I must point out that the sheer invention and novelty of this book makes it worth reading at least once. The basis for my extremely low rating is that this book is not even close to being up to par with the other work of Scieszka and Smith. It isn't even in the same league as works like The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.

Unless you are a big fan of Scieszka and Smith, I recommend that you look somewhere else (the aforementioned books or Math Curse). Baloney, Henry P. is not their best.

Not as good as their others
Jon S. and Lane S. are the best children (adult?) authors/illustrators out there. As with their other books, this one has great pictures, and a great premise, BUT the story is not tight, and seems to be more about the pictures this time and less about the story. Again, great illustrations, but I actually left this book at the bookstore as the story didn't capture me.

John Scieszka is a big, hilarious kid!
Our bookstore had John Scieszka in for a signing last Friday, and he was as much fun for the adults as he was for the kids. He started writing stories in the 3rd grade and has continued ever since. "Baloney" is his latest creation. Henry P. Baloney is late for school- AGAIN- and has to come up with a pretty good reason that is both adventurous and believeable. It starts with losing his pencil and escalates into being abducted by enemies and the like, all of which has made him 7 minutes late and still sans pencil. Scieszka uses what he calls "alien lanugage" for words like "pencil", "school" and "desk"- all of which are included in a handy-dandy glossary in the back of the book. The illustrations are colorful and imaginative- Scieszka's humor is charming and witty. Be sure to check out his books "The Stinky Cheese Man", "The TRUE Story of the 3 Little Pigs", and his "Time Warp Trio" series. His new "TWT" series book "Sam Samauri" is planned to hit stores this fall. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone’s favorite time-travelers are changing their style!The Time Warp Trio series now features a brand-new, eye-catching design, sureto appeal to longtime fans, and those new to Jon Scieszka’s wacky brand of humor. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

TIME WARP TRIO TRAVEL FAR FAR IN THE FUTURE!
This book was great! This is the only book where the Time WARP Trio travel forward in time. I liked the way that the authors described the future. I also thought it was funny because the Time WARP Trio meet their grand-grand-daughters. I won't tell any more because you'll just have to read it to yourself. I rate this book five stars because it was funny like all the other Time WARP Trio books.

Excellent children's book
The Time Warp Trio books are an excellent series for young readers. My 8-year old son has read every one and is now re-reading his collection! Each story deals with time travel - forward or back. 2095, like the others in the series, is a fast-paced, funny, and well written story. So far, these are my son's favorite books and I highly recommend them to any parent who wants their child to discover the joys of reading.

The Future Looks Good
Scieszka's fifth Time Warp book finds the trio in 2095, thanks of course to Uncle Joe's Magic Book. This marks the first time the trio has ventured into the future rather than the past, and some strange things happen.

Scieszka's stories have a great visual style, which lend themselves to some great illustrations in the book. Things get a little silly, and some of the jokes that run through the book were started in previous books, but '2095' is still loads of fun.

good for kids all ages
I tought that it was a good book because I like when they were in the musame in they use the magic squre to get out in went to 2095.They met a robot lady who thout they were someone eles in til the real kids show up.thenone of the boys did a magic tick to stall time but then it got braing so they letf.to get the magic sqarebut it was outside. SO THEY RUST TO GET THERE.

This book is great!
I liked this book a lot. It was very funny and weird. I really recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Wouldn't you know it, right when the trusty Time Warp Trio are about to go on stage in their school play, their script gets knocked into The Book, and Joe, Fred, and Sam land smack in the middle of a feud between the gods of Ancient Greece and some really ugly monsters. To keep their odyssey from becoming a Greek tragedy, the gang needs to find The Book, and fast! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An Adventure You'll Never Forget
Kids that don't usually like to read will want to read this book because when you start reading it, you feel like you are in the book. Also, when you start reading it, you don't want to stop.

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Mount Olympus!
Do you like the movie Hercules but dislike Hercules and the story line? If that's true, (or even if it isn't) this is the book for you! Of course, the Time Warp Trio gets stuck in Greek and have to get back home. They meet up with all the Greeks gods from Zeus to Hera, from Aphrodite to Apollo, and from Artemis to Hades! The Trio have to trick the gods with puzzles to get The Book and get home. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

A really enjoyable book...
This book grabs the your attention right from the start and keeps you interested with fast-paced action, entertaining dialogue and a humorous plot. It's the first "Time Warp Trio" book I've read and I really enjoyed it. Joe, Fred and Sam are magically transported into the world of Greek mythology where they run from vicious three-headed dogs, exchange witty insults with Hera, queen of the gods, and outsmart Zeus and the other gods on Mount Olympus, before they find their way back home. If you know a little bit about Greek mythology you will be amused by the characterization of the gods and godesses and you will find yourself wanting to learn even more. The book is easy to read and hard to put down! ... Read more

Book Description

They've conquered the summer reading list, Greek monsters, and Roman gladiators, but a poetry assignment? Stuck writing haikus for English class, Joe, Sam, and Fred take one little break from doing their homework and BAM!-they land smack-dab in the middle of seventeenth-century Japan.But how will the boys search out The Book and find their way back home when they're busy dealing with grumpy samurai warriors with really big swords?

"You say there's nothing for boys to read?Never fear, the Time Warp Trio has arrived." (Booklist) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Loved it!
My son is not reading at this level yet (7 years old) so I read it to him. It's easy and a lot of fun to read. I read to him, at most, 2 chapters a night (chapters are short) and he'd beg me to keep reading! I could get him to finish his homework and get ready for bed quickly if I reminded him about reading "Sam Samurai". When we finished the book he wanted more, so I purchased a couple more in the series. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is about a Rat, a Cat, a Cow over the moon, and a Baby humming a tune. It's about what the Bug did to the rug. It's about how the Egg fell off the wall. It's about the crazy mayhem that can occur when nursery rhymes go awry. Children and adults alike will enjoy reading this book over and over."This one will wow even the most sophisticated." --Kirkus Reviews, pointer review"Clever, madcap text. A twisted treat in rhyme and pictures." -- Children's Book Review Service Jon Scieszka is the author of many books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, the Time Warp Trio series, and most recently Math Curse. Daniel Adel is an illustrator whose work has appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A wonderful book!
I'm a student teacher and I have used this book in the class I'm with and they love it! The words are powerful and have a very interesitng rhyming pattern. Each page has a new line, that explains the page before.

What I like best about this books is how is repeats itself over and over. The kids love it. Towards the end of the book, they were saying it along with me.

The illustraions are INCREDIBLE!!!

If you're a teacher, I highly suggest you get this book. If you're a parent, I highly suggest you buy this book. You won't be sorry.

Incessant giggling
This book starts a complete and utter 'gigglefest' at my house every time it's read (which is quite often!), we discovered it from the library and now it's a favorite gift item for all the children that we know. The characters and illustrations are great, and my 5 year old son just loves seeing these well known characters (from other stories) present in this fun book.

Wonderful pictures and powerful language
This book has been a favorite of my 6 year old son since he was 3 or so. For quite a while, it was almost an every evening affair. Now that he's older, he is starting to realize pieces are taken from other stories, and the wonderful circular silliness really appeals to him. Finally, it's a wonderful book to read aloud, playing games with rhythm and speed. Few of his books have held his interest for so long and continue to delight him. How much more do you want in a children's book?

Very clever, very sinister
I agree with the reader who said it's for parents, not necessarily their children. The illustrations are astonishing and darkly humorous, but really too cynical for the very young children it is marketed for. Adults: read and enjoy. I haven't met a child yet who didn't put it down almost immediately.

This book was written for parents, not children!!
Take your time looking at this book and understanding the complexity of the order of the tale as well as the wonderful way you "peel" back the pages. This story delights my five year old and more importantly makes me laugh after a tough day at work. ... Read more

Book Description

The Time Warp Trio is staying home for once. Joe, Sam, and Fred are going to work on Sam's latest invention, and Joe's got the perfect way to keep The Book from getting lost. But when the guys wind up on top of the half-finished Brooklyn Bridge in 1877, they realize that Joe's fool-proof Book Tracker wasn't so fool-proof after all. Now they've got to make their way through the city and find The Book before they un-invent the light bulb, the phonograph and-oh no!-baseball!

Illustrated by Adam McCauley. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thoroughly enjoyable
I like the part when Thomas Edison keeps repeating, "So what and be quiet you weanie". I also enjoyed the book because it was very adventurous... ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that our word Thursday comes from the Viking god Thor . . . as in Thor's Day? Neither did the Time Warp Trio. Did you know that if you say "Thursday" over and over again too close to a certain magic Book, you will get sucked back two thousand