The Banging Book [Library Binding]

Bill Grossman (Author), Robert Zimmerman (Illustrator)

Book Description

A raucous and informative book for lively young readers combines an alliterative, noisy text with an explanation of how banging things together contributes to the process of building or fixing useful objects.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this wacky (and whack-ey) rhyming tale of destruction and reconstruction, Grossman (Tommy at the Grocery Store) seems initially to adopt an if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em attitude. With cacophonous glee, two boys and two girls-mallets, bats and brooms in hand-enthusiastically demolish a playroom; even their dolls and stuffed animals recoil at the racket: "Bangety, bangety, bang, bang, bang." Suddenly, the quartet finds that "they've banged the noise right out of things,/ Leaving only little pings." But the unseen narrator urges, "If banging can be used for breaking,/ Banging can be used for making," and the tale turns tumultuous once more, this time with upbeat beats ("Pounding doorknobs onto doors./ Fixing cars and roofs and floors"). For his first picture book, Zimmerman uses clean-edged computer graphics that, outlined in black or brown, resemble linocuts on uppers. His depiction of order brought out of chaos is consistently amusing, as are Grossman's clever couplets. There may even be a lesson lurking here, provided youngsters can hear it. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: Harpercollins (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060244984
• ISBN-13: 978-0060244989
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,268,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daughter loves this book!, June 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Banging Book (Hardcover)

Of all of Bill Grossman's books, my 2 year-old loves this one best! It has a great rhythm. We read this book at least once a day. As I am reading, my daughter bounces or claps with the rhthym of the story.

It is a story about some very destructive kids who literally tear the interior of a house apart, but it is so much fun for my daughter that I am overlooking that for now. Too bad the book has limited availability right now.