Customer Reviews

Benny and Penny in Just Pretend

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just used this book for my student this afternoon and it was a great decision. He's 4 years old and was able to read most of the words by himself. He seemed a bit perplexed about the idea of comics (i.e., structure, the amount of visuals, etc) but loved being able to follow the story and couldn't wait to turn the page. The other two toon books (Silly Sally and Otto's Orange Day) will probably be better for a younger child and an older child, respectively. Can't wait for the other three toon books to come out this autumn.

I have seen a great deal of Geoff Hayes' work; he is a meticulous artist with a special knack for telling stories in images as well as words. His drawings don't just sit there on the page; they have an animated feel to them that shows what is happening in the story. Geoff's stories are always appropriate to children--teaching important values without preaching--in a form that delights the imagination.

I've been a fan of Geoffrey Hayes' books since "Bear By Himself". I've given them regularly as gifts and enjoyed reading them to my nieces, who are now reading them to their children. The narratives are always gentle, but involving, with just enough excitement to keep older children engaged. The whimsical drawings are full of colorful detail and hold up to repeated viewing. (Close scrutiny of the pictures and posters hanging on various walls can be fun for even an adult!) "Benny & Penny" might prove to be particularly useful in those families with sibling issues, as it deftly shatters boy/girl stereotypes and demonstrates the benefits of cooperation and good will. Highly recommended.

I have been a fan of Geoffrey Hayes' stories and artwork since I first discovered this wonderful artist so many years ago. I've collected almost all of his books and am always amazed at his imagination. He creates whole worlds peopled with the most unexpected characters. He always tells a strong story and for readers who haven't yet met these two vivid new characters, Benny and Penny, you can look forward to humor, fun, ingenuity, and a satisfying resolution to a new tale by this unique author/artist.

I was excited to see this new series in a new format from Geoffrey Hayes. I have been a fan since I began reading his Patrick and Ted books to my daughters many years ago. His illustrations are not glitzy but wonderful and appealing. His characters are genuine, and their actions and "adventures" ring true for young readers and listeners. I am excited and can't wait to see more of this new series.

This is a delightful story of an older brother not wanting his younger sister to play with him. At first I thought I wouldn't like an early-reader type story told in graphic book form, but this won me over with its plot, illustrations, and the characters of Benny and Penny. Young children will identify with Benny and Penny and will be delighted in the outcome.

We first picked this book up at the local library. My daughter, in the 1st grade, absolutely fell in love with it. For some reason, the toon format really appealed to her. She made up different voices for each of the characters. She read it so many times, she had it memorized. She even slept with it under her pillow! When the library would no longer allow us to renew it, I bought her a copy--and then the other two in the series as well. She reads them to her 4-year-old brother so he loves them too. It's funny because I would have never picked this out for her myself. Highly recommend!

Hayes captures the age group so well. You'll love sharing this story with your little one.

This time around I'm reviewing the first three books published in this series of graphic novels for emergent readers. The struggling reader (8yo) enjoyed the others so much we went out and bought the first three. So he has now read the entire line of Toon Books and anxiously awaits the publication of the next set.

They are around 30-odd pages each and first published April 2008.

This book is in the mid-range for reading level of the suggested ages, aprrox. RL 1-2. Benny and Penny have been in another book of the series and they are a fun brother and sister pairing. In this book Benny wants to play pirates and just wants Penny to leave him alone. He isn't very nice to her. But by the end he has learnt his lesson and they are friends together and Benny learns sometimes little sisters can play "boy" stuff too!

Benny just wants to play at being a pirate with his cardboard box ship and his wooden sword. But his annoying little sister wants to play as well, dressed in her finest princess outfit. Benny doesn't want to play with her and calls her a cry-baby and tries to get mom to take her away. This nefarious plan goes awry when he makes Penny cry and he has to play with her. And what better way to get rid of your sister than a one sided game of hide and seek? So Benny ditches his sister just so he can make believe and play his pirate game. But when he realises that his sister is missing he begins to realise that maybe these games are better with two.

Benny And Penny; Let's Pretend is yet another delightful little tale from Francoise Mouly's Toon Books, told with deceptively simple layouts and delicately old-fashioned artwork.

Geoffrey Hayes tells an all too believable tale of what it feels like to be someone's older sibling. It's no surprise at the book's end that he talks of his own brother and all the fights they've had as youngsters. All of the frustration and all of the love is represented brilliantly in the pages of Benny And Penny. This is a lovely, warm, charming graphic novel that will be immediately loved and understood by it's readers.