The Book of Mean People [Hardcover]

Toni Morrison (Author), Slade Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Pulitzer Prize-winner Toni Morrison returns with her son Slade for asecond kids` book, this one a catalog of the "mean people" in a young rabbit`slife. The results, happily, make for much more fun than the Morrison duo`sweirdly subtle The BigBox."This is a book about mean people," begins our tiny hero, and almost immediatelywe realize that illustrator Pascal Lema+«tre is going to give cartoonist MattGroening a run for his money when it comes to goofily rendered rabbits. Each"mean" person gets playful, exaggerated, kid-perspective treatment fromLema+«tre, whether we`re seeing a towering dad who barely fits onto two pages("Some mean people are big") or a mother who`s using her nearly telescopic armto force veggies down our hero`s throat ("There are people who smile when theyare being mean"). The rabbit`s "Mean People" book gets assembled page by page,and no one is spared--not grandparents, brothers, teachers, not even ababysitter with an alarm clock five times the size of her head.The Morrisons maintain some of their Big Box subtlety by begging thequestion--of both kids and grownups--of why and whether and which ofthese people are really "mean" at all. (Even young kids will see the differencebetween making somebody get out of bed in the morning and tearing the wings offa butterfly.) Whatever the lesson, The Book of Mean People endsinevitably, triumphantly--"I will smile anyway!"--with a joyous, naked plungeinto a flowery forest. ("How about that!") (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Pulitzer Prize-winner Toni Morrison returns with her son Slade for a second kids' book, this one a catalog of the "mean people" in a young rabbit's life. The results, happily, make for much more fun than the Morrison duo's weirdly subtle The Big Box.

"This is a book about mean people," begins our tiny hero, and almost immediately we realize that illustrator Pascal Lemaître is going to give cartoonist Matt Groening a run for his money when it comes to goofily rendered rabbits. Each "mean" person gets playful, exaggerated, kid-perspective treatment from Lemaître, whether we're seeing a towering dad who barely fits onto two pages ("Some mean people are big") or a mother who's using her nearly telescopic arm to force veggies down our hero's throat ("There are people who smile when they are being mean"). The rabbit's "Mean People" book gets assembled page by page, and no one is spared--not grandparents, brothers, teachers, not even a babysitter with an alarm clock five times the size of her head.

The Morrisons maintain some of their Big Box subtlety by begging the question--of both kids and grownups--of why and whether and which of these people are really "mean" at all. (Even young kids will see the difference between making somebody get out of bed in the morning and tearing the wings off a butterfly.) Whatever the lesson, The Book of Mean People ends inevitably, triumphantly--"I will smile anyway!"--with a joyous, naked plunge into a flowery forest. ("How about that!") (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

"This is a book about mean people," opens the mother-son team's second collaboration (after The Big Box). The narrative begins as a series of statements about cruelty, but Lemaitre (Emily the Giraffe) cleverly fashions the declaratives as thoughts belonging to an intelligent bunny narrator with a diminutive canine sidekick. For "Some mean people are big. Some little people are mean," a spread shows a huge bunny towering above the overalls-clad hero; in the next, a diapered bunny ties the narrator's long ears in knots. The book soon turns from general truisms about "mean" people into a lament about the incomprehensible demands of grown-ups. Lemaitre, however, never ceases to see the humor in the situation. "My grandmother tells me to sit down. My grandfather tells me to sit up," appears on a spread depicting the bunny, one ear down, one ear up, looking torn between the two. The next spread ("How can I sit down and sit up at the same time?") portrays the bunny lying wide-eyed, tipped backwards in his chair, while his dog hides behind a table leg. Others scenarios are chilling, as when the bunny's mother screams ("Do you hear me?"), blasting the hero and his puppy clear across the room. "Frowning people scare me when they smile," the rabbit says at the end, surrounded by his family, all grinning evilly; but he has the last word: "I will smile anyway! How about that!" This bittersweet volume takes meanness in stride and advocates kindness as the antidote. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786824719
• ISBN-13: 978-0786824717
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,213,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Toni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. She is the author of several novels, including The Bluest Eye, Beloved (made into a major film), and Love. She has received the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Pulitzer Prize. She is the Robert F. Goheen Professor at Princeton University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alternative viewpoint, July 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of Mean People (Hardcover)

I can't believe all the negative reviews this book has recieved on this site. Have these people never looked at the world through the eyes of children? Younger children (as well as many adolescents) see discipline and authority as "mean". It's helpful as a parent to be reminded of this and take the opportunities when we have to be "mean" (in their eyes) to explain why we do the things we do. "You have to eat your veggies because they help you stay healthy". "You have to obey because I want you to be safe". Etc, etc. I see this as a great book to be read to and with kids! It opens the door for discussions on the difference between behaviors that are truly mean (physical or emotional harm), things that annoy us (pesky little brothers), and things those in authority have us do for our own good (eating right, getting plenty of rest, etc.). Many, if not most children believe that adults live in a world where they can do anything they want. This book also creates a perfect opportunity for parents to talk about things we don't like to do and how we deal positively with the "mean" people we come in contact with. All in all a helpful book for those who chose to use it in a positive way.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Literally speaking, June 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of Mean People (Hardcover)

i enjoyed this book. preschoolers deal in literal interpetations of what adults do and say. they have a hard time understanding "frowning people that smile". This book reminded me of some of Fred Gwynne's work on the same subject. how many times have you had a preschoolers to tell you "you're mean" because things don't go they way they plan or you do something they don't like. I think this book is for adults too. It gives us the child's possible perspective of the actions of the adults in their lives and leaves the child with the question...are they really mean people?

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A chance for discussion, November 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of Mean People (Hardcover)

I can certainly see why some would disagree with the portrayl of parents, teachers, etc. as mean but I agreee with some of the other positive reviews. I think the Morrision's give children validation for their experience of these expectations as "mean". As a parent it reminds me to not take it so personally or explain why it's not mean to make my son eat his breakfast but instead to acknowledge that in his experience it is mean. That doesn't make me change my decision but it does let me honor his feelings too. As a family therapist I think it can be a nice opening for parents and children to talk about how our feelings don't always match others intentions. And even more importantly it can be a chance to encourage children to talk about how to deal with feeling like they are being treated unfairly (a common complaint among children of almost any age). I would say that you should give it a chance, if nothing else it's a cute little book that gives your kid someone (even if they're fictional) who really understands their feelings.