Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: A Letter from Camp [Hardcover]

Allan Sherman (Author), Lou Busch (Author), Jack E. Davis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah! Here I am at Camp Granada. . . . So begin the lyrics that have been cracking up listeners since 1963, when songwriters Allan Sherman and Lou Busch borrowed the music of Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" to create the funniest camp song ever heard.On a rainy first day, a young camper writes home in the hope that his "Muddah" and "Faddah" will let him leave the dreaded Camp Granada. Bemoaning everything from the lake that has alligators to battling counselors and waiters to a bunkmate with malaria, this kid lays it on thick. But just like the weather, a camper's attitude can improve when the sun comes out. Jack E. Davis's exuberant and quirky watercolors are the perfect accompaniment to Sherman and Busch's tongue-in-cheek humor.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4–The text is comprised of the lyrics of a song written more than 40 years ago in which a young camper writes a letter to his parents explaining why they should come and get him: "...You remember Leonard Skinner?/He got ptomaine poisoning/last night after dinner." One to five lines per spread appear on what looks like lined yellow notepaper. The bold and zany full-color illustrations begin to tell the story on the title page, where readers see a car driving up the dirt road through a camp signpost. The verso shows a short, stout boy in front of a cabin littered with toys, sports equipment, and shoes while his parents drive off in the distance. Words and pictures humorously blend to show readers just how unhappy and threatened the child feels. Thought bubbles that depict scenes from home disappear when he begins to change his mind about leaving; he notices that the sun has come out and that the other campers are having fun. The only thing missing is the music.–Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL
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Review

A comical delight... -- Bookpage

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1 edition (May 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525469427
• ISBN-13: 978-0525469421
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,446 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 Brought back memories from my camp days!, June 8, 2004

By 

T. Knurr (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: A Letter from Camp (Hardcover)

I loved this book! The illustrations were great! I hummed the song while I read it! It is definitely being packed in our daughters duffle bag when she heads up to camp this summer!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Day at Sleep-Away Camp, September 10, 2005

By 

ML (Rockland County, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: A Letter from Camp (Hardcover)

This is the perfect book for a first time sleep-away camper who is experiencing overnight separation anxiety. The storyteller, a novice camper, has filled the text with heart rendering fears and exaggerations that would cause most parents to rush back to camp to retrieve their child. There is a happy ending however, when the sun comes out and normal camp activities begin. The illustrations humorously portray the fears this first timer has, with all the "grossness" today's kids seem to love. Since we remember the tune to this Sherman classic of years ago, we've sung it to our grandchildren, who in turn, have memorized the text, melody and all. A great addition to this book would be a CD with a recording of the song for the reader to enjoy.
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah is a great addition to our grandchildren's library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious Book Based on Funny Song, July 5, 2009

By 

perrymasonary "perrymasonary" (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah: A Letter from Camp (Hardcover)

What a funny and enjoyable book. My 3 year old just loves this book and even my older kids had a laugh. How can you go wrong with this parody on a well known song. Like other songs put on paper and illustrated for children, this books is well done.

The illustrations are excellent and show a lot going on with the minimal text of the song. A well put together package. Even grandma had a laugh from this book being familiar with the story.

This book should be in every child's library.