Penny Lee and Her TV [Hardcover]

Glenn McCoy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002 | Grade Level: P and up

Peggy Lee loves to watch television so much that she has no time for anything else, but one day when the television stops working, her dog Mr. Barkley shows her some of the other fun things they can do.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you think your kid has a serious TV addiction, you haven't met Penny Lee. Not only does this girl have 300 favorite shows (including Pinky Poodle's Pool Party and Puppy Puppet's Playhouse), even her dreams have commercial breaks. (Of course, the fact that she sleeps on top of the TV set can't help.)

One morning, Penny wakes up to find the screen cold and dark. "She tried the remote. She shook the TV, but nothing happened. 'Help!' Penny Lee yelled. 'Call 911! Call the fire department! Call the National Guard!'" Fortunately for her, she's got a faithful canine who--not coincidentally, we find out later--has been looking for the chance to get more attention from his owner. Floppy-eared Mr. Barkley helps Penny Lee transport her set to the repair shop, but along the way the two (well, three, including the TV) find all sorts of opportunities for fun: playing hide-and-seek, skipping rope (or power cord, in this case), cloud-watching, even fishing. Could Penny possibly have found a life outside of TV? It's too soon to tell, but "that night, when Penny fell asleep, her dreams were commercial free."

Glenn McCoy puts his newspaper-comic skills to good use here, with an animated pigtailed Penny and excellent expressions from poor, long-suffering Mr. Barkley. (Readers will recognize his style from editorial cartoons in The New York Times and USA Today, or, more famously, his strip The Duplex.) McCoy's storytelling talent might not quite be up to this longer format yet, but he makes a respectable first showing. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly

Clever cartoons with a slapstick edge enliven newcomer McCoy's one-note tale about a child TV addict who's forced to quit her tube habit cold turkey. The TV is Penny Lee's "best friend.... Penny Lee even slept on top of it. And while she snoozed, her dreams would have commercial breaks." Her lonesome pooch, Mr. Barkley, tries to get her attention (parents don't seem to exist); in one cartoon, he rides a motorcycle, Evel Knievel-style, through a flaming hoop atop her TV, to no avail. When the TV abruptly stops working (and Mr. Barkley feigns serious attempts as diagnostician rubber gloves and all), the canine finds ways to entertain Penny Lee as they walk the TV to a repair shop. Among other diversions, they jump rope with the TV cord, draw sidewalk pictures of fire hydrants and superheroes, and swim in a pond, using the lifeless TV as a diving board. McCoy's caricatures amuse with large heads, bulbous noses and ever-expressive furrowed brows and round eyes. However, the premise of a kid tricked out of her taste for TV may resonate more with parents than with children. Ages 4-7.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1 edition (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786806613
• ISBN-13: 978-0786806614
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,023,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More to Life than Just TV, March 22, 2003

By 

shoutgrace "savedbyhisgrace" (Charleston, WV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Penny Lee and Her TV (Hardcover)

Glenn McCoy's animated and darling story of Peggy Lee and her dog Mr. Barkley. The problem is that Peggy Lee has a TV. She loves the TV so much she forgets about her best friend, Mr. Barkley. Sad Mr. Barkley loves Penny Lee, but NOT the TV. He does whatever he can to get her attention. But, Penny Lee keeps watching that TV. Then one day Penny Lee's wakes to find her TV screen black and broken. Is it a way Penny Lee must quit her TV watching cold turkey? This is Mr. Barkley's chance to help his best friend. On the way to the repair shop they find fun ways to play with each other. Mr. Barkley is so happy to get his friend back, to do fun stuff with. That night Penny Lee slept and had commercial free dreams.

This is a delightful story for children that teaches the lesson that there is more to life than just TV. If you have a couch potato junkie in your house give them this book to read. Reading is another fun activity that's more creative and educational. Glenn McCoy does an excellent job in telling this story that TV can take away your most important time to do other more important things. What's more important than being with your family and best friends? It's a great big, world out there NOT to enjoy it. McCoy uses his comic skills to create Penny Lee and Mr. Barkley. McCoy is the comic strip cartoonist for the famed 'The Duplex.' I'm sure the young one at home will find this one of their favorites. I just love children's books. This is one of my favorites!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars add this to your child's library soon, August 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Penny Lee and Her TV (Hardcover)

A very cute story of friendship between a girl and her pet, filled with bright and humorous drawings. Though I am asked to read it by my tots again and again, it entertains us just as much as the first time -- everytime-- read it & you will understand what I mean!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for TV Junkies, September 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Penny Lee and Her TV (Hardcover)

My five year old daughter and I enjoy reading this book...ALOT. For any one who likes watching a lot of tv, this really hits home and makes you laugh. It's about a little girl who LOVES her tv shows and one day it "breaks". Her and her dog find lots of other things to have fun with during the day and she even forgets that she is missing her shows eventually. Her dog gets attention and is happy and she has discovered a whole new world out there. Def buy it.