I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello [School & Library Binding]

Barbara S. Garriel (Author), John O'Brien (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-This goofy adaptation of "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" begins, "I know a shy fellow…/…who swallowed a cello./I don't know why he swallowed a cello./Perhaps he'll bellow." The instruments the man guzzles come from a wide variety of venues, including a sax from a jazz ensemble, a fiddle from a rockabilly band, and a kazoo from a child's birthday party. When he imbibes "the teeniest, tiniest, petite cascabel," his belly finally rebels and out of his mouth "jingled the bell," "buzzed the kazoo," "tooted the flute," etc., until "…last but not least,/out cha-chaed the cello!" This is a high-spirited and amusing story, and most of the rhythms work well. O'Brien's dynamic cartoons, highlighted with energetic pen-and-ink lines, vibrate with color and action. The main character continually changes shape to reflect the proportions of each instrument he consumes, and his antics are a good match for this silly but enjoyable romp.-Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library District, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. As the title indicates, this takeoff is based on the familiar cumulative song, "The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly." In this case, a shy fellow with an appetite for music gulps down a cello, harp, sax, fiddle, cymbal, flute, kazoo, and cascabel. Then he coughs up each instrument, producing an eclectic musical ensemble. The bouncy narrative injects fresh imagery and energetic language into the traditional ditty. The elongated, goofy-looking characters, especially the fish-faced "shy fellow," amplify the silliness. The busy, frizzy illustrations, filled with musical foliage, are too detailed for groups, but the story is a surefire read-aloud, and kids will enjoy examining the pictures afterward. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Pr (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590780434
• ISBN-13: 978-1590780435
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book!, April 7, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello (School & Library Binding)

This book may become my all time favorite for modeling language and rhythm among all the many versions of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. But it is even more wonderful for children of all ages. Music majors will love it, and I plan to buy it for my son's orchestra teacher. The art of John O'Brien is so complementary of the words, they tell beyond the story line. The author and the artist have worked hard to show accuracies about musical instruments in relation to current as well as historical times. A classroom teacher using this book can easily expand discussions and help children relate text to world examples and model best practice for students. I teach pre-service teachers at the university level in Children's Literature and Garriel's book is a must for such courses. I can't rave enough!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars COLORFUL WITH RHYMING TEXT, March 17, 2004

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello (School & Library Binding)

Just a glance at the title tells you this is going to be a fun book.....and it is. Colorful, outrageous illustrations by the imaginative John Gabriel joyfully partner with the rhyming text.

There is a fellow, a music lover who suffers from severe shyness. He has gone to hear a duet by a cello and a viola when suddenly he feels an irresistible urge to swallow the cello - and he does. Preposterous? Not in the mind of Barbara S. Garriel.

Think what swallowing a cello would do to a person's figure let alone his or her digestive tract. You'll have to see these wacky illustrations to get an idea. Now, as if swallowing a cello weren't enough this timid soul follows that feat by ingesting a harp, a sax, a fiddle, a cymbal, a kazoo, and a bell. The fellow has become a veritable one man band.

Obviously, no one can spend the rest of his life with these instruments inside. What's the solution?

The answer is a very funny surprise.

- Gail Cooke

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute Book.....fun teaching tool, September 3, 2005

By 

Kerry B. Jones "iluvinstruments" (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello (School & Library Binding)

The kids in my class loved singing along. I read/sang it with my K-3 music students. They all know the tune and enjoyed this variation. I used it to introduce various instruments and as a memory test for the kids. Cute pictures, well written. Just be ready to explain the word "bellow."