If Roast Beef Could Fly: Book and CD [Hardcover]

Jay Leno (Author), S. B. Whitehead (Illustrator)

Book Description

The Tonight Show's Jay Leno draws on a true story from his childhood to make a generation of young readers laugh out loud.

Little Jay's mom is maniacally thrifty, his dad is extravagant, and little Jay always seems to be caught in the middle. So when Jay's dad decides that his next big "project" is going to be an ENORMOUS barbecue patio, the only way it's going to happen is if Jay, their neighbors, and Bruce, the laziest dog in America, help him out.

When the party to launch the patio arrives, there's more food than anyone could eat, and at the center is a HUGE roast beef that Jay would do anything to get a taste of. No one will notice if he sneaks a bite, will they? That is, until Jay's secret plan backfires!

What is Jay's secret weapon to sample a bit of the roast beef? Will he keep his dad from finding out? And finally, what could make a roast beef fly?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tonight Show host and bona fide household name Jay Leno tries his hand at writing children's books with this fun embellishment from his own childhood--a story of an effusive Italian father, a stingy Scottish mother, and a rotisseried roast beef gone airborne.

Many celebrities--and even some fellow comedians, like Jerry Seinfeld--have tried to write children’s books in recent years, all with varying degrees of success. Thankfully for Leno, his readily recognizable and affable voice keeps this effort above average, with plenty of help from S.B. Whitehead's playfully busy illustrations. Not unlike a Tonight Show monologue, though, If Roast Beef Could Fly relies more on delivery than substance: Leno’s trademark comedic style comes through clearly (right down to an asterisked aside to the audience: "Kids, don’t try this at home!"), but the story sometimes seems to sputter--albeit in that ingratiating Jay way--from one gag to the next.

Tonight Show fans (and hopefully their kids, too) will surely enjoy this personal glimpse into the late-night king’s early years, especially as Leno reads along with the included audio CD. Plus, If Roast Beef Could Fly also appears to clear up a long-standing question among serious Leno scholars: Yes, even as a child, his chin was just that big. (All Ages) --Paul Hughes

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–In this meager offering, a young narrator (a Jay Leno look-alike with short legs) describes his father, who likes to do things in a big way. Dad decides to build a patio complete with rotisserie, and the boy gleefully rides the wave of his enthusiasm. The narrative jumps from buying supplies to the advice of neighbors to the finished project and a final summer picnic. As a huge roast beef spins on the spit and everyone else goes inside, the boy is left alone with the "amazing spectacle." Touching the meat with his plastic comb, he licks the juices off it until it gets caught in the string around the beef and begins to melt. At the table, Dad tries to cut the roast, discovers the plastic, and throws the whole thing out the window, whereby it's caught in a flying leap by the dog. Fortunately, Dad's Italian relatives have brought "several different tons of food" and Dad, undefeated, is already dreaming up his next project. This book is mired in excess. The disjointed text relies on exaggeration to hook readers. Every scene is so over the top both visually and verbally that there's no subtlety of characterization or meaningful introspection. The garishness of the narrative is matched by the full-color, Mad Magazine-like illustrations where people appear as larger-than-life caricatures. Some youngsters may be carried along on the crest of this wave. More insightful readers will recognize the ensuing emptiness. A CD of Leno reading the story is included.–Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; First Printing edition (March 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689867670
• ISBN-13: 978-0689867675
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,360,432 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Father, son and dog story, April 9, 2004

By 

Robert B. Makinson "Robert B. Makinson" (Brooklyn New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If Roast Beef Could Fly: Book and CD (Hardcover)

Greatest thing about reviewing a children's book is that you don't have to read 500 pages. This book is shorter than a short Leno monologue.This reviewer only read the book. Did not listen to audio. Nice illustrations by S.B. Whitehead are a major part of the book. The story shows an energetic father, slightly mischievous son and forgiving father and loveable dog who saves the situation. Good for children and enjoying it can help adults to relax.

26 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Roast Beef Could Fly, Then What Happens to Pigs?, March 26, 2004

By 

prisrob "pris," (New England USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: If Roast Beef Could Fly: Book and CD (Hardcover)

Jay Leno has written an exquisitely funny book for children of all ages. "If Roast Beef Could Fly" is a story from Jay's childhood. Jay Leno is well known as a stand-up comic and host of The Tonight Show... He has written a semi-autobiography called "From the Chin".. Now, he joins the list of writer's of children's literature. He is a funny man and a wonderfully kind man This is a book for children and for adults. The pictures in this book are replicas of Jay's family. This book is an episode in Jay's life that has come to life in the pages of this book.

Jay's father was Italian and his mom of Scottish heritage. As with his stand-up routine, Jay tells us a story about his childhood in detail. A certain episode when his father was using a rotisserie for their beef. Father Leno was an extroverted Italian with a large family. Jay used to love those dinners. Countless dishes of Italian gravy with meatballs, lasagna, noodles with ricotta and so on and on. The entire family would dig in aunts, uncles, cousins, moms and dads. Jay loved to watch his dad coo,k and to watch the roast beef go round and round, and he wanted so much to have a taste of that juicy beef. The only thing he had was his black, plastic comb. He stuck the comb in the beef hoping to garner some juices from the comb. Unfortunately, the comb stuck in the twine that was keeping the beef together, and well, the plastic cooked into the beef. When the beef was done and the family at the table, dad was slicing the roast beef and hit something hard. All of a sudden a large plastic glop fell out. Jay had to be honest and told his dad that this was his comb and the whole story came tumbling out. Dad threw the roast beef out he window, their dog found it and was in dog heaven while he chewed the beef to nothingness. The pictures are priceless as are the expressions on the family's faces.

Jay Leno has related a story of a family experience. This is such a hilarious story of his family life. Children can relate so well. A small child getting into trouble, but the lesson is always to tell the truth. Jay has expanded his comic repertoire to children and will they love this book, oh, yes, indeed! Jay leno is a comic who rarely uses offensive language ,and this is the kind of person to write a book for our children and for us.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very different and realistic embellishments, August 13, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Roast Beef Could Fly: Book and CD (Hardcover)

If Roast Beef Could Fly, The Tonight Show's Jay Leno uses a story from his childhood to tell of a thrifty mother, an extravagant father, and a son always caught between the two. A family barbecue party will only work if the family and neighbors help out - and if differences are resolved in the process. S.B. Whitehead's drawings are very different and realistic embellishments