Customer Reviews

Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure (Sandpiper Books)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First published in 1959, this is one of more than 30 books written by the great Bill Peet. In it, a proud young lion loses his hair in an accident, and his animal friends come out to solve his problem. An elephant remembers a cure (crocodile tears), but no animal is brave enough to collect them except the clever elephant. However, the croc tonic works so too well, and a baboon is dispatched to trim the overgrown mane. The resulting haircut is a tribute to nonconformity:

"You can search every jungle, each circus and zoo, From San Francisco to Timbuctoo But I doubt that you'll find though you look everywhere A lion whose main is so perfectly square ............So there!"

The rhymes are delightful and the pictures are fun, relaxed, and absorbing! Peet worked as an illustrator, scriptwriter, and producer for Walt Disney, so you may see some Disney-esque touches in the expressive animal drawings. It's a great children's book (38 pages long). Recommended!

Some people have said this may be too long, but kids today are used to quick and dirty. My bet is most kids will happily sit for this rhythmical tale. It has kept my five children's attention at every sitting. It was so popular with my younger brother that he memorized it years ago and now recites it to his son. Peet's illustrations are the perfect compliment to this humorous story. (You may recognize his style - he was an illustrator for Disney.)

This is an amazing book. When I was born in England, this book was bought for my older brothers entertainment, then in my time I read it, then my younger sister as well. As we grew up, we each retained the ability to recite bits and pieces of the now familiar tome. In that it was so special to each of us, we all tried to lay some claim to ownership of the one original. So, I went and memorized it, and was granted the original by my siblings. Now I buy this book by the case, and give it out to raptured children (and adults) after recitations. This book never fails to amaze everyone whose been exposed to it! Too bad its so regularly out of print. Like right now which is why I'm writing this!

Not Bill Peet's best work, but stil a good story. Hubert the Lion experiences a downfall when he loses his beautiful mane and is forced into hiding.

A chivalrous elephant comes to his rescue by setting out on a difficult journey to retrieve the hair tonic that the Lion needs.

But the fun just begins.

This was one of Bill Peet's first books. I read it as a child and then to my kids. The story is fun, a bit long for one sitting. Rhymes are clever and pictures entertaining.

I loved Bill Peet books as a child, and I still really like them today. I recently bought the whole set so that my children will have them, and realized that I remember every character and every plot from 20+ years ago when my parents read them to me. They really made an impact on me. The illustrations are cute and captivating, the characters are engaging, the stories and well told, and each book has a meaning. There are few authors who can create such a fine balance in childrens' books.

Great story to read and enjoy with kids. We love the characters facial expressions. We have a few neighbors we have labeled "Mrs. Hornbill" over the years. Anytime someone starts making excuses we add in a few from Bill Peet. Delightful author.

This is one of the best children's books ever. It speaks to the children, rhymes similar to A Zeuss book but vocabulary is very interesting. Bill Peets' books were part of my children's growing up. I ordered reently so that my grandchildren could have them too.

What a fun book. It came in excellent condition. We had read this story several years ago, and couldn't remember the name of it. When we found it, we were very excited. It is a great story about friends helping one another, and has a great moral.

The Author Bill Peet has the gift to spark the imagination of all children. His stories are amazing. There are over 30 kids books by him and I recommend them all!The Whingdingdilly