Lost in a Good Book

Published: 25th February 2020
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Illustrator: Heather Fox
Pages: 48
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

When you see a coo, you will be tempted to give it a treat.
Coos are adorable, peaceful, kind of silly.
But DON’T FEED THE COO!
If you feed one, they will ALL come…

So begins Don’t Feed the Coos, a cautionary tale that details the fallout when a little girl decides to share some bread with a coo (aka pigeon). From the park to home to the arcade to karate practice, the coos follow the generous-but-foolish girl who didn’t heed the warning. Because when you give a coo a crumb…the entire population of coos will come! But fret not: our spunky little heroine will discover that even the biggest of problems can be solved with a little determination.

After falling in love with Llama Destroys the World I was excited to pick up another Stutzman book and it did not disappoint. I loved the concept that once you feed a coo you are stuck with them for all time and once you feed one, others will come. The ingenuity and determination of these coos is delightful and Stutzman’s writing style elevates simple words and phrases and highlights the humour.

Fox’s illustrations are a pure delight and I thoroughly enjoyed every page. The scenarios she has included are very funny and incredibly cute and they add so much to the story. I got a lot of enjoyment from studying them and laughing at the coo’s expressions and antics, not to mention the fear then angst, then resignation on the little girl’s face as she accepts them into her family.

Stutzman’s story is quirky and fun and it would a great story to read aloud. It is a fabulous story that works in sync with the illustrations as they play off one another. With few words but stunning, detailed pictures there is a great balance that creates a well-rounded story with multiple levels of enjoyment.

You can purchase Don’t Feed to Coos! via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Published: 7th May 2019
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Illustrator: Heather Fox
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★   ★  – 5 Stars

What happens when you mix one hungry llama, a big pile of cake and a whole lot of dancing? Get ready to party, because the end of the world is nigh…

This a laugh out loud book which I can attest too as I handed it around at work and watched staff members cover their mouths in an attempt to stifle their unexpected outburst of laughter and not disrupt the entire library. The story is divine, the language is divine, the illustrations are divine. It’s simple, it’s weird, and it’s perfection.

I initially thought this was going to be like The Very Hungry Caterpillar but I was so very wrong. Stutzman has found the sweet spot where humour and story combine and has the right combination of proper narrative, and whatever makes things a hundred times funnier when said with a touch of absurd, surreal nonsense.

The joy of reading this comes from the formatting as well as the story. The tone Stutzman has used as well as the pages containing only one sentence or only a few sentences means you are forced to stop and pause which adds some magnitude. It’s the pace that you read this which makes it quite matter of fact and quite serious, there is a countdown of days as we know what is going to happen (the world ending), we just aren’t sure of how just yet.

The illustrations are fabulous. The expression on Llama’s face, the simple yet telling pictures of cake and world destruction are delightful. There is no need for overly complicated detail or depictions. Fox captures the mood and the disaster, and she does so while embodying Stutzman’s tone. She also beautifully captures the simple, majestic delight that is Llama. I also need to take a moment to thank Fox for immortalising the image of Llama and his groovy butt as he dances in his dancing pants. For that I thank you.

I have already read this book three times and I never tire of it. It’s unexpected, it’s a fairly fast read which works wonderfully for the style Stutzman has gone for in his writing, and the humour is constant. I love Llama and everything he represents.

You can purchase Llama Destroys the World via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust