Homework [Hardcover]

Arthur Yorinks (Author), Richard Egielski (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

When Tony falls asleep without finishing his homework, his unruly school tools come to life to get the job done.  Pencil and Pen get the story started, along with Eraser, but when Fountain Pen joins in, all ink breaks loose!  A little creativity goes a long way, as Tony’s homework turns into a wacky tale about the Planet Splotch. Tony might not be able to hand in this particular assignment, but it deserves an A+ for originality. This imaginative story captures every kid’s wildest dream—homework that does itself!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–As usual, Tony is not doing his homework. Instead, he dozes off while reading a comic book. While he sleeps, the pencil, pens, etc., on his desk come to life and decide to write a story for him. There is much banter and arguing as each one is critical of the other's contributions, but gradually everyone's efforts are melded into a final product. Their exuberance awakens Tony, who discovers the story, but seeing only splotches and messy corrections, tosses it away–only to sit down and compose one with an identical theme. The plotline is amusing as the characters interact, but it's Egielski's retro-style illustrations that steal the show. Using brightly hued watercolors and pen, the artist brings the items on Tony's desktop to life one by one. He then reverses the process as Tony awakens and the items go back to their inanimate state. The pictures are rich in detail and energy, and children will return to the story many times to enjoy them.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
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From Booklist

It’s a typical night for Tony: his mom demands he do his homework, but instead he just reads comic books in bed until he konks out. Only this night, that empty piece of notebook paper is too inviting, and Tony’s pencil and eraser come alive to write a story for him. Being by their very nature opposites, the two anthropomorphous objects immediately butt heads. “Stinkeroo!” cries the eraser at the pencil’s opening line. Their fight wakes up the entire desk—cup, book, tape dispenser, ruler, and so on—but it is the fountain pen whose out-of-control splotches provide the vision. Soon pencil is scribbling away at “The Story of Planet Splotch.” Yorinks has devised a pleasing homage to the creative process and uses a light touch to show how inspiration can derive from the unlikeliest of places. Egielski’s art has an intriguing lack of depth; the details are piled atop one another like a jumble that needs decoding. A simple but amusing winner. Grades K-2. --Daniel Kraus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802795854
• ISBN-13: 978-0802795854
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 11.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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