Tedd Arnold Books

It's been awhile since I've done a children's book review, so I thought I'd jump in and get one done. Today I want to tell you about another of my favorite children's book author/illustrators, Tedd Arnold.

The first book we discovered in our house is the book Parts. It's hilarious and silly, and it rhymes throughout, so it's a really fun book to read to the kids.

It's about a little boy who thinks the glue that holds his parts together isn't holding him together anymore. In reality, there's a perfectly good explanation for the things he's discovering about his body. It reminds me a little of my Drama Llama, Zoe Bug.

Here's a small sampling:

I think it was three days ago
I first became aware--
That in my comb were caught a couple
Pieces of my hair.

I stared at them, amazed, and more
Than just a bit appalled
To think that I was only five
And starting to go bald!

I think the illustrations are every bit as good as the writing. Tedd Arnold favors pop-eyed people, and what kid doesn't love that?

Perhaps my favorite part of this book is at the end where his parents are trying to explain to him that he's not falling apart. The illustration shows them holding a book entitled Parenting for Beginners. It gives me a little chuckle because sometimes I feel like I need that book.

Our other favorite by Tedd Arnold is Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name.

It's a mouthful, for sure, but that's part of the appeal. It's super fun to read. Catalina is a big-time dufus, which Arnold illustrates well. On just about every page you have to say her long name, so by the end you get really good at it and can do it all sing-songy like.

I really love the ending to this book because Catalina gets married and her new last name is hilarious in contrast to the rest of her name. The last page of the book, at her wedding, is . . .

Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan SMITH was her name.