Customer Reviews

Natalie & Naughtily

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Natalie and Naughtily are sisters, the Nopps sisters, who live in a house on the top of Nopps famous department store. Now, Naughtily may not be the quite an accurate name for Naughtily as she's not really naughty. It's simply that she has her own way of doing things - if Natalie wants to go one way, Naughtily wants to go another, if Natalie wants to play on every floor from top to bottom, Naughtily want to play from bottom to top.

Their favorite days are rainy days because those are the only days they're allowed to play in the store. Imagine what a playground a huge department store complete with elevators, escalators, and a floor full of toys would be!

On one rainy day the girls received a note from their parents saying that it would help very much if they did not come to the store that day as it was going to be especially busy.

"Help" was the key word to the sisters and they decided to go to the store to help.

Young readers will find out exactly what kind of help they provided in this whimsical, smile provoking book by Vincent X. Kirsch. Full page, detailed watercolor and colored pencil drawings are delightful.

- Gail Cooke

Natalie and Naughtily Nopps are two of the cutest, most original characters ever to grace the pages of a childrens picture book. A charming story about two wonderful little girls you can't help but fall in love with. The illustrations alone will leave you breathless. With every page Vincent X. Kirsch brings to life the fascination and awe a child can find in a deluxe department store. A perfect gift. Kids will love to read this story over and over again. Mr. Kirsch's book is certain to become an instant classic.

After reading Natalie and Naughtily, the Three Silly Chicks immediately wanted to adopt these two charming girls. Or rather, we wanted them to adopt us. You see, the Nopps sisters live in a house on top of "the greatest department store in the world." And it truly is a fabulously grand store, filled with chandeliers and toys and potted plants and fussy customers and toys and little dogs and foofy hats and the rarest of rarities...oh, and did we mention toys? The toy floor alone is enough to make Santa's elves turn holly green with envy.

On one very busy day, Natalie & Naughtily are kindly asked by their parents not to play in the store. So the intrepid girls decide that they will "help" instead. As the girls go from floor to floor finding ways to help -- such as spritzing everyone with Mischief #5 in the perfume department -- two boys simultaneously tour the store using Natalie's floor-by-floor list of favorites and Naughtily's hilariously drawn map. In addition, six silly pooches have their own bit of fun as the make their way through the store. Vincent X. Kirsch's gorgeously detailed illustrations provide a delicious hide-and-seek game for readers as they try to follow all four kids and all six pooches throughout this whimsical romp of a book.

Even though the title suggests it is for girls, my four year old boy loved looking for the Twolittle boys throughout the book. Lots of details to point out. I read it every night for almost two weeks before he started tiring of it which is remarkable for my son who usually only reads a book once.

Do not be fooled by the title, this is not a "Goofus and Gallant" lesson for girls. Rather its a story that follows two sisters with slightly different modus operandi as they work their way to the top of their parents glamorous department store. Department store?! Oh no, but it's not about buying stuff. Or fashion. Or a big finale. To this reviewer, its about savoring the journey. The quirky, joyful sometime mischievous journey one can make on even the rainiest of days.

Kirsch's unique illustration style appears both effortless and mind-bogglingly complex. He packs each page with so many delicious details and small strokes of artistic genius, readers will be sure to uncover new surprises and delights with every re-reading. His vision is so fully developed and unique, it makes you wonder where he has been hiding all these years. Surely he must have closets stuffed with antique maps, tap shoes, Tuscan sketch books, puppets, screenplays, and dapper vintage suits. Let us hope we soon see more of what springs from his playful pen.

Natalie & Naughtily is a whimsical children's picturebook about two young girls (Natalie always does things one way, and Naughtily always does things another way) who live in a house on top of the greatest department store in the world. They love to play in the many-storied department store, but one day their butler hands them a note from their parents, reading "Today is going to be a very, very busy day. It would be a great help if you did not play in the store." So the girls resolve that today they will go to the store to help out! But being helpful isn't as easy as it seems, and they're told to move on at floor after floor - until they find just the right people to help out after all! Colorful artwork of the happy-go-lucky girls and a kid-friendly narrative style distinguish this charming tale.

I can't remember ever seeing abook filled with so many beautiful details, clever ideas, and adorable characters. I would give this book to every child I know between the ages of 4 and 7. It is pure fun. And just because it takes place in a luxurious department store does NOT make it about materialsim whatsoever! It is pure style, humor, and it comes with a little hide and seek game on the back endpaper that kids will want to do over and over again. I admit that I may have had a little something to do with publishing this book, but I still have a right to review it, don't I? I guarantee you will love this book and so will the children you buy it for. Trust me!

Honestly, the only thing I liked about this book were the illustrations. The story was boring, tedious and went nowhere. The characters Natalie and Naughtily were rather indistinguishable. Probably one of the most disappointing children's books I've ever read.