Humor Books

This 60+ page guide to the Californians is a delight! A unique combination of witty, tongue-in-cheek comments and factual information about California culture, history and geography makes for a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to natives and foreigners alike!

I began reading this book on my lunch break at work -- laughing out loud from the start! After work, I read it while walking to my car and while stopped at traffic lights on the drive home. Now, if that isn't a ringing endorsement! I've been to the Golden State a few times and I can vouch that the author describes Californians to a "T". This is a witty and insightful book that will be enjoyed even if you have no plans to visit. It's a lot of fun, give it a read!

As someone who was born in the section of Los Angeles known as Hollywood, and raised at the beach, south of Mr. Marais' so called "Tan Line", I found his guide to the Californians insightful and extremely humorous. For anyone who lives in, knows someone from, or just wants to visit California, this book is a must read. I really think it captures the true essence of the Californian collective psyche!

I am a Californian, and I loved this little book that is filled with fact and wit that had me laughing out loud. The character differences between the Northern and Southern Californians were hilarious. All of the stereotypes of the golden state were well illustrated. This is a great gift for every Californian, those who visit California, or anyone who would just like a few laughs.

Wow!! California has been analyzed and humorized in this delightful book that will keep you laughing from beginning to end. Mr. Marais doesn't miss a beat as he rattles off one quip after another about this culture of characters that even Hollywood couldn't dream up! From pampered pooches to personal growth weekends, from smog alerts to freeway traffic jams, California has set itself up for this author's hilarious take on the "sunshine state". Enjoy!!

Too bad it's not currently available, as this is a very funny book. So funny that it should be illegal unless you sign a health waiver for any potential heart conditions. Oh, and having a hernia would be bad, as would be stitches in your sides or the tops of your knees. Don't read this book with a sunburn nor while operating heavy machinery.

Paul Mather is a comic genius and should be in the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame, if they have one...

I've known of the great "Paul Mather" for quite some time. I've seen the statues erected in his honour down at the mall, but I never felt I knew "the man" behind "the columns"... that is, until now. This searing forray into the mind of the person Times Magazine called "The Most Angular Mind" of the 21st century is both ludicrous and pheromatic. Bravo professor wackypants! Bravo.

This book is a beautiful combination of humor and insanity. It is like if George Carlin met God. Very funny, and so off the wall you will find yourself naked in an alley on the lower east side. BUY THIS BOOK. I did, and look where it got me.

Regardless of whether or not you have ever heard or seen Paul's work, then you should definitely pick this up. If you have already visited his web page (and love it as much as I do) then this is a must have book.

Funny funny funny. I've been reading Paul's weekly atricles for several years now and to have the creme de la creme all in one low priced and attractive compilation is, um, good.

I dunno - perhaps my favorite article was one I actually hadn't read before about Canada's governor general award for literature. A close second was the one where his bike got stolen by a high tech crime gang with "elevator stalling ray guns". Or the one about the Celts. Ha! Well, this could go on and on and by the time I'd finished I'd simply have listed most of the articles in his book. Suffice it to say that this is among the funniest stuff I'm ever read!

What can I say? Go Paul, go! Keep being funny.

I saw these guys at the Alternative Press Expo, looked interesting, I wasn't prepared for how much I was going to like their comics. The stories are accurate,informative and funny. I've always been interested in philosophy, even took a couple of classes in college, but trying to read through their books and understand their ideas was difficult to impossible.

Action Philosophers presents the lives and basic ideas of great minds in an easy to understand way (with humour), citing their major influences and showing their place in the bigger picture. They also provide a reading list if you would like to learn more about your new favorite philosopher. It never occurred to me that anyone could make philosophy fun, but these guys have done it. I'm almost through this book, and I eagerly await the next issue of their comic book. If you want to read a comic book with a little more to it than just *biff* and *bang*, get this book.

While the Action Philosophers series is better used as a gateway drug to some hard core philosophy than a substitute for actual study of the source materials, it has amazingly lucid graphic explainations of both Plato's Allegory of the Cave (vol. 1) and Descarte's Cogito, Ergo Sum (vol. 2).
I give it my heartiest reccomendation. In fact, so long as it's part of Amazon's 4 for 3 deal, I'm stocking up. I plan to give a set to each of my MA professors who teach literary theory, to gift one to my younger brother, and to keep one in my bookbag for work--tutoring high schoolers. AP is quick, portable, and nutritious.

A great intro into some of the great thoughts and thinkers. The humour is very witty. If you like Monty Pythonesque silly intellectual humour, then this book will be a treat.

This is hysterically funny. For anyone who knows the history of philosophy and likes to laugh. Philosophically accurate.

I have never been a comic fan, however I work with two die hard comic guys and they came to me all jittery and excited telling me I had to see this comic book about philosophers. You see, I've studied philosophy for 10 years, edging closer and to the elusive BA. I am a natural skeptic but I caved in and looked. I laughed out loud at least four times merely leafing through the pages. When I had time to sit down and actually read through the "big red thing" I was very impressed at the blending of humor and accuracy. The spin put on these brilliant thinkers offers true laughter while remaining very accurate to the spirit of their ideas. I had to bring the book to my philosophy professors to test them out and to my pleasure they found it as funny and accurate as I! Nothing like a little brown nosing through comics! I am very impressed with this book and I will purchase every issue of the comic from now on! well done=)

Unlike a pickled trout, "Acupuncture Insanity" just gets better and more fragrant with age. How does Artie Rotello do it?

Upon reading ACUPUNCTURE INSANITY I became laughter-filled and have been ever since. Laughter tends to cramp my stomach, preventing my bowels from moving in a smooth and orderly fashion, causing me to expel an embarrassing amount of gas.

I didn't expect to be so inspired by this book, but I was. It inspired me! After reading it, I did four loads of laundry and it wasn't even Sunday. That means a lot! Read this book and be inspired. Okay?

Multi-layered, wonderfully textured and deliciously nuanced. I enjoyed it with the kiwi-lime sauce.

Soon as Trixie git done readin' it, I gonna rip da pages out an' paper ma cell wid it. Dat way I kin reads it day an night. It make me laff an laff, like when Trixie wrap a towel all up in her hair and balance a pot on her head an sing "Pupusas, papusas!" Trixie move just like a real girl.

This is a very easy read and certainly illuminates the life of a vet! It's so interesting to hear the story behind the person. My wife and I both read this book in our spare moments each day. We always looked forward to to our opportunities to read about the next 'adventure', often sharing a chuckle between us! After the last chapter, we found ourselves wanting to read still further!

"A breath of fresh air" applies to Jeff Wells' collection of stories that demonstrate "why veterinary medicine is a true calling." Sure, he's sloshed through a lot of poop, been rained on by vomit, and reached into the abyss of numerous cows and horses, but he's also treated a leather clad chihuahua named Megadeath, released puppies stuck in their father's? birth canal, and experienced a lifetime of opportunities to laugh at himself. Read ALL MY PATIENTS HAVE TALES. Inhale deeply.

This book is so well written, and truly IS a modern-day James Herriot book, like I read in the other review. If you love animals, this is a MUST read. You will have a new appreciation for what veterinarians do on a daily basis, and the people that they come across, too. I highly recommend this book!

The title of this book is what first caught my attention; I loved the "play on words" with tales and the picture of those wagging tails on the cover!

Being an animal lover, I enjoy reading stories of people sharing their experiences with pets. My husband and I joke that our two cats are cheap entertainment as we watch them slide across our floor to bat at a toy, chase their tails or chirp at the birds outside. When I began reading Jeff's stories about his experiences with animals and their owners, I found I could not put the book down until I reached the last tale. Jeff is a wonderful story-teller; one moment, you experience the emotional heartache of owners and Jeff as a vet tending to a sick or injured pet, and the next, you are roaring with laughter at the antics of the pets - and owners!

A great read and wonderful book to take with you when traveling.

Kelly Johnson
Cornerstone Virtual Assistance, LLC

Dr. Wells has brought the world and challenges of being a Veterinarian into your home in this wonderful and well written book about his experiences. I bought the book for my niece, but had to read it before she ever got it. She is in Vet school and bought more for her friends. My brother, a M.D., enjoyed it immensely. We ordered more for other members of the family and friends. It is not only stories about dogs (as the cover indicates) but animals - large and small - that Dr. Wells has helped. It is touching, warm, educational, interesting, intriguing and a most enjoyable read! Any Vet wannabes or just people loving animals will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.

What a read. I'm sure much of his insider knowledge of the comedy profession was held back in the edit, but it's clear that this guy isn't afraid to speak his mind.

It's about time someone in the national comedy spotlight stepped up and knocked the dirt off.

The book is short and to the point, in-your-face, and a must read for anyone who loves nationalism as much as they do a good "hey, baby...mommy loves you" joke.

Cheers.

Let me say this first... This book is brilliant. Now here's the problem...

If you're not prepared for this book, you will miss the point entirely. And most people in America are not ready. Actually, they are ready, they just don't know it. Don Tjernagel covers every base as he runs around the infield of hypocrisy. Religion, sex, travel, sex, celebrities, sex, politics, and just about anything else gets covered in what is an amazingly quick read. It's scary to have an author point out flaws that you never knew you had. - and he does it without ever being judgemental. That's the most amazing thing about the book. Don attacks everyone available without ever throwing a punch. It's almost verbal aikido. No one is safe from the truth, and Don wields it like Excalibur.

Let me say this first... This book is brilliant. Now here's the problem...

If you're not prepared for this book, you will miss the point entirely. And most people in America are not ready. Actually, they are ready, they just don't know it. Don Tjernagel covers every base as he runs around the infield of hypocrisy. Religion, sex, travel, sex, celebrities, sex, politics, and just about anything else gets covered in what is an amazingly quick read. It's scary to have an author point out flaws that you never knew you had. - and he does it without ever being judgemental. That's the most amazing thing about the book. Don attacks everyone available without ever throwing a punch. It's almost verbal aikido. No one is safe from the truth, and Don wields it like Excalibur.

I just spoke with Don Boy (as I call him) on his cell. I'm Joey Scribner and I own "GRINS & GIGGLES COMEDY" www.grinsandgiggles.net

Don is one of the funniest comic on the circuit and he told me that he had a chapter in there about me. He said he was going to send me a copy but he was laughing to hard to embellish about what he wrote. I would venture to say that it's true because as being a fellow professional comic some really crazy crazy stuff happens out there....WOO HOO! I asked him if he wrote about his "MIDGET" experience in Decatur Illinois and he said "no I left that out"..(amagin that)...Now that I hear he wrote a whole chapter about me I just have to say that I would never do anything like that (yea right) heeeeeeeelol....I'm honestly scared to get my copy. But Don is a very funny and talented man.....And really I'm looking forward to reading his book! I just know it's gonna be a riot! One thing about Don is he doesn't pull any punches!

Stand up comedian, Don Tjernagel breaks away from the norm in his book titled, "American Infidel." Tjernagel takes his political commentary and puts it all in one little book. This book is meant to offend, insult, anger and enlighten people. While doing so, he makes them laugh and praise him for being brave enough to tell it all. This book isn't for the light hearted, someone with a weak stomach or easily insulted. The language used could make even a sailor blush, but will easily admired him for his audacity to speak his mind. Tjernagel speaks out his beliefs on controversial subjects such as, First Amendment, flag burning, to bad women and missionaries. He does put his humor aside a few times, to talk seriously about things that sadden him or hurt him, helping to convince his reader that he is, after all a human being. Overall though his nature is crass, crude and offensive but in such a way, that you'll find yourself laughing, without meaning to. Tjernagel doesn't care who he offends or who hates him. In fact he hopes, "soccer moms line up to burn his book." and even encourages bad reviews. Why you may ask? To quote the man himself, "I would much rather be part of even a literary piece of ..., rather then the drunken poet who had his master piece washed in his jeans." Well Don, I hate to disappoint you, but you've gotten a good review out of me, as well as earning my admiration for your audacity

Yes,Im still laughing at superficial man.Fianally a book that tells the truth about dating....Wish I had read it twenty years ago. Im giving it to my daughter as a gift...I can't wait to read AJ.S SEQUEL.I loved the illustrations they reminded me of a superficial man i knew.

The content of this book certainly rings true to each and every one of us at one time or another in our lives. It reminds us that human beings do indeed have a common thread. A.J. Pascale certainly captures that in a fabulously humorous way, with creative and entertaining illustrations to match. It's obvious he has a good sense of humor about the path of his own life, and we can all appreciate the fact that he so openly shares his perspective with us. We've certainly all been there, and it sure would be a far better world if we could all laugh at ourselves like this!

This book is like the movie "Groundhog Day". Deja vu all over again. Page after page of funny and poignant reminders of the unconcious state in which we men wander around. I would like to see the woman's pov on this one. A great gift for that guy in our life that needs HELP

WOMEN BE WARNED: reading this book could cause you to laugh out loud as you flash back on those "Superficial Men" you have known!

If you like HBO's "Sex in the City", you'll love this collection of devastatingly accurate snapshots, caricatures and x-rays of the naked male libido.

Okay, I'll admit it - I laughed....and laughed. We've all been there: your ears start burning the second you turn to walk away from your 'superficial boyfriend'and you know you'd be a fool to ask what was said. Thank god for the superficial men in the world - they keep us from taking ourselves too seriously. Pascale's honesty about the superficial man's motives is either a walk down memory lane or a glance backwards toward the road not taken. I'm thinking we'll all do both after reading it! Good book!

"As Seen On TV" is a fond look back at those Kitschy products and their even tackier commercials for products as diverse as the Chia Pet to K-Tel records. These products would make household names out of people like Ron Poeil, Billy Mays, and Susan Powter as they pushed products to enhance yourself, your cooking, or your home. These 50 products, most of which are still on the market today and still being seen on TV were the forerunners of the dreaded infomercial which made their way into our homes back in the 1984 when the FCC loosened regulations on TV advertising. You'll chuckle as you read about these products, many of which you probably haven't thought about in years.

The book is arranged by product type including Kitchen Marvels, Fashion and Beauty Wonders, Fabulous Fitness, Entertainment Breakthroughs, Home Improvement Miracles, and Get Rich Quick. A history of each products is provided along with details about its use, inventor, and other interesting facts as well as photos. Ron Popeil is certainly the godfather of these products who got the ball rolling with the Veg-O-Matic, actually invented by his father. Popeil's list of products is long and often notorious and includes things such as GLH Formula #9 spray for balding men, as well as the Pocket Fisherman. The book includes a lengthy interview with Popeil as well.

Other items in the Kitchen gadget category include the legendary Ginsu knives...and who doesn't fondly remember those commercials where they sawed through knives and aluminum cans? Then there is a modern classic as former boxer turned pitchman, George foreman introduced the grill bearing his name.

There's the Blue Blocker glasses, Hairagami, Thigh Master, Matthew lesko's books on free Government money, Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, The Clapper, and Life Call Alert in which Edith Fore uttered those words that would become grafted into American lexicon, "I've Fallen...AND I CAN'T GET UP!!!" But perhaps my all-time favorite for pure cheesiness would be Mr. Microphone. Who can forget the goof in the convertible telling the girl walking on the street, "Hey Good Lookin', We'll be back to pick you up later!" It was the epitome of tackiness back then and would probably get him arrested today.

Oh...and the book is informative as well. I never knew that the K-Tel in K-Tel records stood for Kevis Television named after its founder Phillip Kevis. A true pop culture treasure trove!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

If you recognize this catch phrase from the Mr. Microphone ad, you'll love this book. Indeed any child of the '70s or '80s can appreciate the nostalgia and humor of the infomercial era, which is vividly and humorously captured in "As Seen on TV". It's all here, from Abtronic to Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute. If you have any doubt about whether your money would be well spent on this gem, then to paraphrase Ron Popeil: "Just forget it and GET IT!"

What a fun book! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who has ever gotten caught up watching infomercials or home shopping channels. It's fascinating to read about products that became hugely popular, even though in some cases, you look at them now and say "what were they thinking?".

It was especially fun for me because... as I turned each page, I had to wonder if the next product was one I've bought. LOL
Yes, I have succumbed to the "power of the pitch" and bought into the hype. And yes, I have purchased a few of the items in this book (George Foreman Grill, Steamer, etc... and I LIKE the Dr. Ho's Muscle Massage System!) but I'll never admit to how many.

Anyone who has heard "and that's not all" will enjoy the fact that a section with that title is included AFTER the index.

I only gave this book 4 stars because I wanted more products to be in it! It was so fun to read, I wanted more of it.

This book read itself!

I bought this trip to entertain myself for a long drive home from Wisconsin to Florda. (Don't worry- I was the passanger, not the driver. Gusee I should've used the word 'ride' but I'm too lazy to backspace!)

I think the ultimate compliment to a book is when your constantly interupting other people around you to read the next wonderful thing you've read. I lost my voice from this book.

There's not too much to tell in this review. You've simply got to read it for yourself. It is so much more than just a list of goofy things sold via infomercials and TV ads. We get interviews, product history, trivia and much, much more.

We also get the lowdown on what was legit and what wasn't.

So the next time your using the flow-bee and screw up so badly your running to the store for some GLH (if you don't know what that sentence just meant, buy the book)... think of this book. It'll help ya.

And if you're just looking for some easy entertaing reading... this is it folks!

Did folks buy this stuff? They sure did, by the millions according to Harry and Stall. Some of these products would really be hard to parody, the Chai Ceramic Pet that grows vegetation, the Turbi Twist, a hair towel with an elastic loop (with the predictable AS SEEN ON TV on the box) the Copper Tongue Scraper, PROVEN EFFECTIVE was the bold statement on its packaging but it really does look just like a piece of bent metal! Each product has a spread with photos, copy and several colored panels (more on these later) containing background material and other trivia. I liked the Product panels best with their Description, Availability, Claimed Innovation, Upside and the Downside, just read the Downside to each product and really get the truth.

The six basic chapters are Kitchen Marvels, Fashion and Beauty, Fabulous Fitness, Entertainment Breakthroughs, Home Improvement Miracles, and finally Get Rich Quick, between these chapters are some interesting features, pages 122 and 123 cover the rise of the home shopping channels where you will be amazed to find that QVC have studio tours (yours for only [x ammount of dollars]). Ron Popiel, the founder of Ronco, has four pages explaining the background to the infomercial techniques he uses to shift the goods. Incidentally the Ronco story is covered in 'But, Wait! There's More!' by Timothy Samuelson, lots of product photos, vintage ads and packaging and a fairly accurate history of the Popiel family. Ever wonder what happened to yesterday's celebrities, check out pages 74 to 79 to see the Top 100 infomercial-land stars from Allen (Debbie) to Zappa (Dweezel) you'll be surprised who's listed, well, perhaps not. 'As Seen On TV' is a fascinating and fun book covering a subject that most of us would hardly think twice about.

But, wait! There is more! DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL! Buy this book and get absolutely FREE hundreds of words that only come out in daylight! The book's designer (unfortunately) decided to use pink panels, on many of the product pages, with text in light blue. Big mistake, because it is very hard to read in a normal domestic lighting environment and the type used for the headlines on these panels is hard to read even in daylight!

The Kingdom of the Ganges, ruled by the good King, Rajah Watzit, is in crisis.
Not one drop of rain has fallen during the monsoon season.
The evil Guru, Hoodunnit that if no rain falls before the end of the Monsoon season, then the Rajah's daughter, the sweet and lovely Princess Orinjade, must be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the gods.

The only hope lies in the plan by the wise Fakir Watziznehm, who has heard that in far-off Gaul, there is a bard who's singing causes rain. So Watziznehm, flies on his magic carpet to Gaul where he enlists the help of Cacofonix, Asterix and Obelix (and who wouldn't want to rescue the gorgeous Princess Orinjade)

So our friends for the first time travel by air, and after an exciting journey, in which, among other things, they engage in an aerial attack on the Scythian pirates.
When they land in India, they have to deal with various snags, before they can save the Princess.

Asterix and Obelix really get to travel and explore exotic locations. And while the India, the authors of Asterix write about in no way of course, resembles the real Ancient India, neither the other Asterix albums resemble the locations our friends visit. It is all tongue in cheek, and pokes fun at everyone, but in a gentle way.
Asterix and the Magic Carpet is great fun.

A wonderful story set in an India that never existed except in the minds of western authors. It was lots of fun seeing cacofonix turn out to be the hero.

In this enthralling tale the lovable Gaulish duo hitch a ride on a magic carpet with the village bard, Cacofonix to the mystical land of India. And yet in this far away country, the natives have heard of the "village of madmen where a voice makes it rain" - a man that the Indians could use to end the long spell of drought that they have fallen under. Finally! An audience that appreciates the (incredibly annoying) vocal talents of Cacofnix! But as luck may have it, the great bard loses his voice...

With the life of a princess at stake, a race against the clock to get the bard's voice back and dodging evil fakirs at every corner, this is an adventure to remember - an episode in which the oft-neglected bard comes in to his own.

Although the book was well laid out with a funny, interesting plot, some of the laughter comes at the expense of an ethnic stereotype. As long as it is understood beforehand that life in India doesn't follow such a pattern, this book would be a whole bunch of constructive fun. For that reason alone I felt the need to drop a star from my rating.

Most Asterix titles are aimed at a teen/adult audience and they cleverly integrate many historical events in to their plots. There is also a deeper satirical presence throughout these books, and for that reason I feel that children under the age of 12 or so would not quite appreciate the humor. The violence is more along the lines of black eyes, dented armor and missing teeth, and hence should not worry a parent too much. This is another good Asterix comic - I recommend it!

At last Cacofonix is the real hero! They come to India! Like all books in the series, a real fun to read!

Despite the fact that this comic is written by Mr. Uderzo, as well as illustrated by him, it is quite as good as any of the classics, like Asterix and Cleopatra or Asterix and the Goths. The art is up to the old standards, the pacing and flavor remain the same, and the same excruciating-yet-oddly-satisfying puns are sprinkled throughout the text. It's a rollicking, good-natured adventure from first to last.

A couple of notes here. In the first place, it IS interesting to see an Asterix comic focused on Cacophonix, rather than just sticking the bard in an introductory cameo and showing him tied up at the feast at the end. In the second place, it's good to see Dogmatix, Obelix's pet pooch, play an active and sometimes important role in the story .... okay, so I'm a dog lover, but it is good to see another character being used, rather than just being an afterthought like he was in Asterix and the Belgians (my only quibble with that excellent comic).

The only other thing that strikes me is that certain other reviewers have remarked on the "ethnic stereotypes of Indian life" that appear in this comic. I'll admit that I'm hard-pressed to see this. I suppose that to the hypersensitive, merely mentioning India or Indians makes the book some kind of ethnic horror-show of lies and stereotypical fabrications. Lighten up, guys! Other than showing the Hindus bathing in the Ganges (which you can see in any National Geographic with an article on India) and wearing Hindu clothing (which is hardly a 'stereotype,' any more than showing a businessman wearing a suit) it doesn't show much of the "Indian way of life" at all. All this talk of stereotypes boggles me, since only the most convoluted, tortured logic could squeeze any type of ethnic slur out of the story.

All in all, a fine addition to a fun and light-hearted series! :)

Jack Prelutsky, author of more than 30 artistic creations, takes the reader on a journey through the daily rituals of an ogre's pleasantly gross life. Prelutsky describes all of the ogre's activities from sunrise, when his pet rattlesnake wakes him, until late into the night, when he has a nightmare about a beautifully tranquil place. Using fabulous double-page spreads, Zelinsky illustrates how the ogre enjoys a violent storm, tends to his garden of carnivorous roses and overblown mold and takes supper at a local restaurant where his titanic appetite is satisfied with triple helpings of everything (including the silverware, plates and tablecloth). The 18 rhythmic and witty verses are brought to life with remarkable detail using watercolor and pen and ink. This combination of gruesome humor, along with the realistic snapshots of the ogre's life, will provide many hours of entertainment and enjoyment to all those who are ready to experience the adventure. Everyone will fall in love with this oversized and grotesque, but playful, ogre as they scour each marvelous and explosive work of art! (Ages 6 and older)

This book is the best book I've ever read! I love the colorful illustrations. I can't believe how good this book was. I don't read picture books most of the time but this one is unusually outstanding! The pictures are amazingly superb! I would give this book 10 stars, if I could.

This book has great illustrations, like the skunk in the Ogre's nose which captivated my 2 and 5 year old children. Even better however, it has the vocabulary to expand and challenge young minds. A great choice.

Fans of Prelutsky and fans of Zelinsky, rejoice! This devoutly-to-be-wished combination comes off just as well as you might imagine. It really does present a day in the life of a one-eyed ogre in poems and pictures. And by all means, read it out loud! It's so much more fun that way. My favorite -- "When elves and gnomes encounter me, / They often shriek, `Grotesque!' / I bow with magnanimity / And murmur, `Statuesque!' " And the pictures! There are a lot of things going on in the four-color pictures. And kids will have fun finding them all! Some of the language is hilariously gross and disgusting -- and not for the squeamish! Prelutsky obviously has always loved the sound of words -- and big ones, at that. And as always, he doesn't write DOWN to kids. There is a glorious perfection in his rhythms. Kids will love to grimace and wince along with the gory subject matter. This book is so much fun!

What a terrific, fun, lively book! As much fun for me and my husband to read as it is for our son to have it read to him. Even though he is still small, he loves the rhyming cadence of it and the pictures. A nice change from Dr. Seuss - I just love Awful Ogre! Especially when he dances...or courts a grrrrl...or goes out to dinner...

This book would be a terrific addition to any childs library.