Customer Reviews

The Boy Who Wouldn't Share

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

 

 

After reading this a handful of times, my 3-year-old now repeats the line "IT'S MINE, he said, NOT YOURS of course" over and over to me all day long. Since the majority of the book has the message of the boy NOT sharing and repeatedly saying "IT'S MINE", we seem to have gotten the WRONG message from it...

When little brother came on the scene, we bought this book for big brother (3yrs) thinking it would have a wonderful lesson in it. Instead, our little boy learned how to say "Mine Mine Mine," like the boy in the book does. We like to teach our little ones to share for the right reasons, and it doesn't have anything in the book about WHY one should share. I would like to have seen this book come back to a lesson about sharing, but it never did. I'm sure there are many better books out there about why we should share and how it makes us, our friends and our siblings feel when we share.

We got this book from a cousin. My children love to read and often cry when it comes time to take books back to the library. We have 99 books checked out right now. My 4 year old brought me this book and told me that she didn't like it and wanted to give it to the library. When I explained it was hers, she said the library could have it. I put it on a shelf out of sight and just happened to take it out and put it on the table today and she said she didn't like it there. She isn't an unpleasant child- she just really doesn't like the book. SO-for what it's worth, there's a review from a preschooler.

Mike Reiss and David Catrow appear to be starting an unofficial picture book series of sorts. Wasn't that long ago that I walked into a bookstore and found myself staring at an odd little concoction by the name of The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln. That flipped the switch on my Weirdo Picture Book o' Meter for a good week or so. I kept thinking back to that bizarre book with its strangely amusing premise. I mean, don't get me wrong. The story was fun but everything you needed to know was in the title. Now Reiss and Catrow have a new "The Boy Who" book out, and at first you might accuse it of the "Lincoln" book's crime. Take a gander at the cover of "The Boy Who Wouldn't Share" and there sits as wizened, cantankerous, sour-faced a boy as has ever graced the cover of a tale for children. I admit it. It was love at first sight. Somehow this book manages to tell a story in rhyme (that most loathsome of storytelling techniques) that works in everything from toy trains to a blow-up Frankenstein doll. Most excellent.

Edward has a lot of toys. Tons really. And when his sister attempts to play with them, Edward appears out of nowhere to tell her, "IT'S MINE!" in no uncertain terms. Even his Slinky is off-limits, and in a fit of greedy pique the boy barricades himself behind his toys, a crazed smile upon his face. Of course, trapped within his own toys, Edward's mother doesn't see the boy at all... so she gives all the fudge she has to Claire. In a change of heart a now downtrodden Edward concedes that Claire may play with his toys if she likes. "And Claire, who did not hold a grudge, helped him out and gave him fudge." In the last panel the two peddle off into the sunset, Edward on his bike pulling Claire in his wagon behind.

The Grinch has nothing on Edward. Nothing. And illustrator David Catrow could give even the good Doctor of Seuss a run for his money when it comes to tight-faced scrooges. Actually, there are several times in this book when Catrow appears to be conjuring up Mr. Geisel. There's something about the way Edward's pinky lifts up delicately when he plucks his wizard's hat from his sister's head. Something about the ape-like curve of his upper lip. I can't pinpoint it, of course, but Seuss would have found much to love in this book as well. Even Claire is a Little Cindy Lou Who of a gal, all sweetness and light and forgiveness. I'm sure that Catrow has been compared to Seuss time and time again, but this time the similarities seem intentional.

Ironically, "The Boy Who Wouldn't Share" is coming out at about the same time as David Shannon's similarly toy-centric title Too Many Toys. Both books harbor a love of classic games and puzzles too. You won't find any Gameboys or Dance Dance Revolution sets clogging up these kids' closets. No, clearly the artists are fans of Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, Legos, and Slinkys galore. And frankly, that makes the most sense. It's not as if these toys don't sell these days anyway, and there's no faster method of dating yourself than to include the latest gizmos and gadgets on your pages. This is not to say that Catrow doesn't include some slightly newer items, as with skateboards and the like. But the exclusion of the electronic world is done with a clear intent. It may be fantastical, but there are probably a lot of parents out there who'd love to have a kid like Edward, completely content with his rocking horse and jack-in-the-box.

Author Mike Reiss gets away with his rhymes, thank heavens. Catrow tends to be paired with authors that know their way around a pleasant bit of well-scanned verse (example: Karen Beaumont and her lovely I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!). The story works out well enough. The Edward's change of heart does seem to come out of left field, though, which is odd. And on a personal level, I was a little disappointed to find Edward's humanity at the end of the book because I think a series of picture books in which the boy works through several of the Seven Deadly Sins would be divine. Clearly we've already covered Greed. How about Sloth, as in "The Boy Who Wouldn't Play Outside" or Gluttony in "The Boy Who Wouldn't Eat a Pea"? I just find his unappealing nature so supremely appealing.

But come on! Greedy little boys that resemble dried limes make for fabulous storytimes. Pair this pup with Shannon's "Too Many Toys" and you'll have one heckuva storytime. Reiss and Catrow are just about hitting their stride these days. A couple more books together and we'll see just how original and goofy they truly can get. Greed never looked so good.

The story and illustrations are terrific, the message and ending are great, and I can manage to read it 1000 times without feeling compelled to hide the book. Bravo!

i got this book from the library for my two daughters. it has been great to bring up when they are fighting over toys. i would def buy tell my friends to buy this book.

The boy who wouldn't share is a wonderful book. In the school district that I teach in we have a program called "Second Step". This book is great to use as examples of what would happen if you don't share. I just this book in small groups and large group to get discussions going with the children.
Excellent book!!!!

I bought this book hoping that it would teach my oldest boy about sharing. I don't think he learned that lesson, but he has a big smile everytimes I said "You made it stinky!", or "It's mine!".

The illustrations are cute and fun. My younger kids love to find Edward under the pile of toys.

Overall, the book is a very good book to read for all ages.

My son and I love the book. It came very quickly and read it alot.