It’s not unusual that a son doesn’t listen to his mother. However, it is extraordinary that both astoundingly transform into animals to make their points!
Ben loved pretending he was an animal. But when his mom said, "clean up for dinner," Ben claimed, "Animals don't, so I won't." However, he didn't expect two could play the same game! Next child and parent transform into penguins, leopards, bears, and more animals in a humorous and enlightening dance of wits. This inventive tale reinvents the familiar bedtime routine.
Both adults and kids will enjoy this amusing adventure, illustrated in colorful watercolors by an accomplished Disney and DreamWorks animator. An engaging twist on the “he said, she said” narrative delivers interesting facts about animal behavior with welcome doses of knowing understanding and humor. The author, a father with two kids, draws from personal experience to sympathize with both sides in the running (and swimming) debate.
This contest is like Ben10 meeting Dr. Doolittle! This game of catch me if you can will make a satisfying storytime for parents, grandparents, caregivers, elementary school teachers, and children’s librarians.
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“My boys love this story; they listen to it while hanging like a sloth or roaring like a lion... the story is imaginative and sparks their imaginations and the artwork is simply wonderful."
- Geek Mom
"As the appealing cover shows, animal-loving Ben likes to pretend he’s wild himself...The animals and their actions are well-chosen for child appeal. Pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor wash combine realistic images with the fantasy of this parent-child game...The clever premise of this well-worked-out story is likely to appeal as much to adults as to the children they get to share it with."
- Kirkus Reviews
“Dave Derrick has created a fantastic picture book that is entertaining, informative, and laugh out loud funny. When you add in his expertly drawn gestural illustrations, you have, simply, perfection. I wish I had thought of this!”
- Chris Van Dusen, illustrator of Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson book series
“Dave’s curiosity for the natural world is always obvious to me in his work, and he transfers that love for life to whoever chances upon it. His drawings and compositions show the wonder of the natural world, while his humor and his story layer it with life.”
- Matt Nolte, Character Designer, Pixar, and illustrator of Brave: One Perfect Day
