Howdi Do (Radunsky/Guthrie) [Hardcover]

Woody Guthrie (Author), Vladimir Radunsky (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000 | Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Radunsky/Guthrie

An illustrated version of the song about shaking hands as a friendly way to greet "everybody that I meet."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Folk-music legend Woody Guthrie meets madcap artist Vladimir Radunsky (Yucka Drucka Droni) in the ebullient picture book and CD set Howdi Do, a cheerful song-story about a bright yellow dog who has to say hello to and "shakey paw" with absolutely everyone. It's perhaps the most contagiously cheerful book on the planet--a puppy madly running through town shaking everyone's hand, spreading good cheer, and saying "howdi do," of course. Radunsky's crisp, colorful collages shout and wave and bound with the simple song; once preschoolers listen to the accompanying CD they'll get the idea and join right in: "Howjee, heejee, hijee, hojee,/ Howdi do, sir, doodle-do." The four-song CD of kid-friendly Guthrie creations, performed by the Band of Weeds, adds even more rhythm and life to this happy offering. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

Radunsky, illustrator of An Edward Lear Alphabet, turns his attention to an American nonsense lyric by folksinger Guthrie. In this infectiously friendly song, a bubbly canine narrator says hello to literally everyone: "On my sidewalk on my street,/ Everybody that I meet,/ I will shake them by the hand, howdi do, howdi do./ Yes, I'll shake it up and down, howdi do." The bright yellow, blue-eared hound appears in every spread (once with an acoustic guitar), extending a paw to adults and children, cats and dogs. Waving and smiling, some pushing baby carriages, all dance to the playful, repeated chorus that is Guthrie's piece de resistance: "Howjee, heejee, hijee, hojee,/ Howdi do, sir, doodle-doo./ Howdi doosle, doodle-doozie,/ Howdi do, howdi do...." Oversize, sans-serif type makes word recognition a snap, although speaking the tongue twisters may require a bit of gleeful practice. Radunsky's gouache-and-collage illustrations have grown looser since Yucka Drucka Droni: amorphous cutout shapes and streaks of paint serve as the characters' facial features and clothes; the yellow dog has a black daub of a nose; and colorful rectangles or white space suggest the sidewalk setting, so that the meeters and greeters often seem suspended in midair. Radunsky's slapdash silliness and Guthrie's neighborly salutations are irresistible. Ages 2-5. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1st edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763607681
• ISBN-13: 978-0763612610
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #515,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guaranteed To Make You Smile, April 4, 2000

By 

"ericalina" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Howdi Do (Radunsky/Guthrie) (Hardcover)

From the cover art alone, Howdi Do inspires giddiness and fun. This delightfully illustrated picture book is perfect for the 3-6 year old set, but will also make their parents laugh and smile. The Guthrie song alone is catchy enough, but when paired with Radunsky's eclectic and irreverent illustrations, its a winner all around.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Woody Guthrie at his Best, May 18, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Howdi Do (Radunsky/Guthrie) (Hardcover)

Howdi Do is the narrative of the Woodie Guthrie song of the same title and it works as well in book form as in song. The text is cheerful and silly and complimented by the colorful illustrations of Vladimir Radunsky. Kids will love the simple rhymes of the verse and the silly words of the chorus. With the bonus CD of the song included inside the front cover, the whole family will be singing this folk song in no time. Read together, sing together and enjoy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little treasure!, July 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Howdi Do (Radunsky/Guthrie) (Hardcover)

...I...prefer Woody's music performed by Woody himself, but I can attest that my children would rather listen to the band that perform on the CD that comes with this book. We have a decent collection of children's music and the one CD that leads the lists of requests is this one. Perhaps (and hopefully) when they grow older they will prefer the authentic Woody, but at this young age, this version is much more pleasing to their ears.

And the book's simple and happy message is a wonderful way to introduce your young children to Woody Guthrie and his vision of love and compassion for all.

My little boy and girl (ages 2 and 4) cannot type yet, but I speak for them when I give this book and CD the full 5 stars.