Cannonball Simp [Hardcover]

John Burningham (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

A courageous little dog escapes an early demise at the pound to find a happy home, and unexpected fame, with the circus.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Poor little Simp. Fat and small, with just a stump for a tail, this puppy is abandoned at a dump, where even the rats turn her away. She wanders through town, trying to find food or friends, but is thwarted at every turn. What's an ugly puppy to do? Barely escaping the clutches of the dogcatcher, Simp sees lights in the distance--salvation at the circus? Simp lives the quintessential fairy tale: the ugly duckling (or ragged household drudge, orphaned child, differently nosed reindeer) finds ultimate vengeance, happiness, and even fame through perseverance and gumption. Young readers will be glad to discover that there's a place for everyone in the world, even if hardships must be endured along the way. The unusual, dark, sometimes moody illustrations are striking, and there are new details to discover with every reading. Winner of many awards for his stunning illustrated children's books, including Cloudland and Hey! Get Off Our Train, John Burningham creates a classic with Cannonball Simp. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 2 edition (October 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564023389
• ISBN-13: 978-1564023384
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,071,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorites, May 10, 2001

By 

Teresa Hartley (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cannonball Simp (Hardcover)

I love this great little book. As a substitute teacher it was one of the sure-fire "hooks" that I used to engage children in the classroom setting. They were instantly on my side after listening to the story and enjoying the illustrations. When I returned to a particular school, kids would see me on the playground and ask if I had brought Cannonball Simp to read. The scruffy little dog, Simp, lives in all of us for one reason or another and kids loved watching her find a place to not only belong, but to win the admiration of others. Afterwards, the kids couldn't wait to tell me about their own dogs and the ice was broken for the day. I came to Amazon to find another copy because I've lost my original one. I don't substitute any longer but I plan to read it to the neighborhood kids and hopefully, to my own grandchildren some day.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful classic, March 28, 2001

By 

kennedy19 "kennedy19" (wakefield, ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cannonball Simp (Hardcover)

Burningham's classic is as beautifully illustrated as any of his books, and is filled with memorable images. It begins as a very sad story about a stray dog, who must face the perils of cats, rats, and the dogcatcher before finally finding her way to a circus, where she is adopted by a kindly clown. The clown is in danger of losing his job, because crowds do not like his act. Simp decides to help her benefactor by climbing into a cannon when nobody (including the clown) is looking and being fired through a hoop at the climax of the clown's act. She is a big hit, and they all live happily ever after. This book shows how a good soul can muddle through in the face of adversity, and how kindness begets kindness. There are many words on each page, making it appropriate to read aloud to K-2nd graders, or to preschoolers who can sit still for the words.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book for First Time Readers, January 30, 2000

By 

Kali "bengaligirl" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cannonball Simp (Hardcover)

I got this book for my nephew and ended up keeping it for myself. This is a lovely colourful book about an ugly little dog that is abandoned by her owner near a garbage heap. Eventually she finds her way to a circus after several near misses with the local dogcatcher and a nasty cat. It is the circus clown who takes Simp in, and she rewards his kindness by becoming part of his act, thus enabling him to keep his job at the circus. Cannonball Simp is a delightful story for young children. It is easy to read, has colourful bright pictures but most importantly of all it is a fun book to read.