Tuesday, May 30, 2017

No Tooting at Tea by Alastair Heir - OPTIONAL

Heim, Alastair No Tooting at Tea, illustrated by Sara Not. PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books, 2017. $16.99. 

A young girl is excited to be hosting her friends at a tea party and starts things off by explaining the important rules about manners they will need to follow. But her well-thought lecture keeps getting interrupted by someone/thing 'Tooting!' After her friends plead their innocence, the hostess stalks off only to discover that the tooting culprit was the teakettle itself--announcing that the water was ready for the party. Properly humbled, the party goers reconvene and the tea party goes on in style. 

The best part of this book are the illustrations which are bright and fun and engaging. The story itself is written simply--making it an ideal read aloud--but I overall found the story rather dull and completely predictable. I think there is a small niche of children who are a)interested in tea parties and b)the appropriate age to be amused by the tooting jokes, but otherwise it will not find a wide audience.

EL (K-3)--OPTIONAL. Reviewer: TC

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