No Kiss for Mother [Paperback]

Tomi Ungerer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998

Piper Paw cannot bear being kissed by his mother all the time, and it takes some painful experiences for them to reach a mutual understanding.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Ungerer's (Crictor; Moon Man) first children's book in 25 years, a delightfully witty and lighthearted look at race relations, a cat couple is startled to discover that their newborn is a dog. (This "genetic mishap" is traced to a great-grandmother's secret marriage to a pug.) The doting parents bring up squat, jowly, wrinkly-faced Flix to climb trees and eat fried mice and pickled canaries. Under the tutelage of his basset hound godfather, the pup also learns pride in his canine heritage and masters the dog language. Flix's combined talents win him the respect of both communities, the love of a French exchange-student poodle and eventually a career in politics, in which he campaigns to end cat-dog segregation. Ungerer celebrates the versatility and perspective Flix gains from his mixed ancestry while still acknowledging the hardship of not fitting in. His lively illustrations, which feature highly expressive and individualized faces, are more supple and playful than in earlier books. The accomplished artwork brims with funny touches such as a rat-crossing sign in Cattown (speed up!) and a monument to Laika (the first dog to orbit in space) in Dogtown; more pointed details include the no-dogs-allowed sign in a posh Cattown restaurant. Ungerer's return to the field will be welcomed by all who discover this charming addition to his oeuvre, but will be especially appreciated by children growing up in more than one cultural tradition. Ages 6-10. (May) FYI: Tomi Ungerer's The Three Robbers, Moon Man and No Kiss for Mother are being reissued in paperback, as well as Heidi (by Johanna Spyri) in a hardcover edition. (Roberts Rinehart/Tom!Co, $6.95 40p ages 4-8 ISBN 1-57098-206-6; $6.95 40p ages 4-8 ISBN -207-4; $5.95 40p ages 6-10 ISBN -208-2; $19.95 312p all ages ISBN -162-0; May)
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Roberts Rinehart Pub (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570982082
• ISBN-13: 978-1570982088
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,548,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tomi Ungerer was born is Strasbourg in 1931, moved to the US in 1956 and now lives in Ireland. His first children's book "The Mellops go Flying" was published by Harper in 1957. This was to be the first in a series of very successful and unusual children's titles.

For a full biography see his official site - TomiUngerer.com

Tomi is a prolific artist, author and illustrator and has been awarded a wide range of prizes, accolades and honours in recognition of his work including:

- Legion d'Honneur France (1990)
- Order of the Deutsches Bundesverdienstdreuz Germany (1993)
- National Prize for Graphic Arts France (1995)
- Hans Christian Andersen Prize for children's literature (1998)
- European Prize for Culture (1999)
- Officer of the Legion d'Honneur France (2000)
- Named Goodwill Ambassador for Childhood and Education of European Council (2003)
- Erich Käistner Literary Prize (2004)
- Awarded an honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Karlsruhe (2004)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the Best!, December 9, 1999

By 

John M. Bergland (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Kiss for Mother (Paperback)

This is my absolute favorite Children's book! Growing up as a child, I would read this several times each summer and would laugh for hours at the expressions and the illustrations. The illustrations are brilliant. I think that deep down, we all share the desire to be as mischievous as Piper.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mischievous cat who does not like kisses from mother!, January 22, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Bethesda, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Kiss for Mother (Paperback)

This is a delightfully naughty story (a favorite of my mine as a child) about a mischievous cat named Piper. What little boy doesn't want to play practical jokes in school, get dirty in the playground and take apart things at home that shouldn't be taken apart at home? Well, Piper does just that and has no room for kisses from Mother!

This book is rated from 4 to 8 years old. If you're an adult, read on. It's a hoot no matter how old you are.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lot of Fun, November 5, 1999

By 

Allen97 (Manhattan) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: No Kiss for Mother (Paperback)

My mother used to love to read this to me when I was a kid; we still have one of the earlier issues.

I'm glad it was re-released. It's a classic: recommended for adults as well as children.