Lazy Little Loafers [Hardcover]

Susan Orlean (Author), G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Orchid Thief comes a smart, hilarious take on what babies contribute—or don’t—to the world.

 

Ever experienced stroller envy? Ever wished you were applauded just for walking across a room? Ever wanted to loaf about the park on a blanket in the middle of a school day with nothing on your agenda but being relaxed and happy? Then you should be a baby. They’ve got it made.

 

In this charming, droll story, a world-weary older sister ponders the question, why don’t more babies work? Her answers, hilariously tinged with resentment, offer up a wickedly accurate picture of just how great babies have it.

 

Known for her keen and witty observations of various subcultures, Susan Orlean here turns her gaze on babies. The resulting picture book is tongue-in-cheek fun for older siblings and anyone looking for a lazy, praise-filled day.

F&P Level: L
F&P Genre: RF

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–3—A child speculates on the role of babies in the world. She gets right to the point on page one as she asks, "Why don't…babies work?" The rest of the story involves her research conducted on her baby brother, as well as on the babies she meets on her travels. She finds them to be lazy little loafers who enjoy snacking and lying around. All the while, kids her age are struggling to make their beds, study for tests, and solve math problems. How do the babies get away with it? As the youngster heads off to school, leaving her little brother and mom in the park, she decides that the reason is obvious. Orlean's reserved wit will be best appreciated by observant, inquisitive kids who harbor the slightest bit of cynicism in their little souls. Karas's gouache and acrylic cartoons reinforce the notion that babies are not silly and cute, but rather happy and lazy. This is a good one-on-one read for any youngster who has wondered why the baby doesn't have to go to school.—Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO
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From Booklist

Babies are a shiftless, indolent lot, at least according to our young narrator, a Manhattan schoolgirl with a bone to pick. As she walks to school one September morning, accompanied by her mother and stroller-bound baby brother (whom she refuses to acknowledge), she regales the reader with a litany of baby crimes. Babies are lazy. Babies are snobby. Babies think they’re sooo cute. Beneath the protestations, readers will recognize and empathize with a sister struggling for attention. The irresistibly ironic tirade is effectively reflected in Karas’ jaunty collage illustrations. A foundation of photographic cityscapes establishes a sophisticated setting and a perfect foil to his cartoonlike sketches. There is no nod to buried affection in the final pages. Instead, we get an honest, complex attitude, equal parts outrage and insecurity, subtly captured in pictures both silly and incisive. Such a real expression of a singular childhood emotion, free from any didactic hammering, is a welcome arrival that kids will enjoy again and again. Grades K-2. --Thom Barthelmess

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810970279
• ISBN-13: 978-0810970274
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,243,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For kids of all ages, December 28, 2008

By 

Jeffry J. Klinkenberg "real florida" (st. petersburg, fl) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lazy Little Loafers (Hardcover)

My grandaughter has enjoyed "Lazy Little Loafers" a whole lot. And I'll be honest: so have I. Of course, I'm spectacularly immature at the age of 59. I have been head over heels in love with Orlean's writing "voice" for years. If you enjoyed her adult books "The Bullfighter Adjusts Her Makeup" and "The Orchid Thief" you -- and the child of your choice -- will probably get a kick out of "Lazy Little Loafers.''

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, December 30, 2008

By 

Michaela T. Watson (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lazy Little Loafers (Hardcover)

As a children's librarian at a public library, I think this book is great. As with any book, it is for a particular age range and while I would not be able to use it for storytime, I know my 7 year old nieces will love it. A wonderful addition to our collection.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging for younger and older kids, December 25, 2008

By 

JD Caplet "JD Caplet" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lazy Little Loafers (Hardcover)

We got this for our 5-year-old, who loved it and asked to hear it over and over; even better, our nine-year-old also enjoyed hanging out nearby and listening. A really fun, engaging read.