The Remarkable Farkle Mcbride [Hardcover]

John Lithgow (Author), C. F. Payne (Illustrator)

Book Description

Reedle-ee

Rootle-ee

Vroom-pety BANG!

Young Farkle McBride is a musical genius: He plays the violin, the flute, the trombone, and the drums with incredible skill. But he's never satisfied: Something is missing.

In his first book, actor and musician John Lithgow introduces a memorable character, a fickle yet lovable child prodigy who brings the sounds and rhythms of an orchestra to sprawling visual life. With a double gatefold showing the entire orchestra, this is the ultimate book for the music lover in all of us.

Deedle-ee

Doodle-ee

Doom-pety CLANG!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Star of 3rd Rock from the Sun, actor John Lithgow is less well known as a music enthusiast, but in his comical verse story The Remarkable Farkle McBride, he has created the musical prodigy he would perhaps like to have been. Farkle is a little boy with astounding talents (he's playing violin with the orchestra by the age of 3) but little perseverance. Each year he gets bored with his instrument, takes up and masters a new one, and then gets bored with that. Of his recently beloved trombone, he says, "The racket is more than my eardrums can bear! So return it or throw it away! I don't care!" In the end, Farkle realizes that the whole orchestra is his instrument: he finds satisfaction as a conductor, and the book ends with a gatefold of him triumphantly leading all the other musicians. C.F. Payne's illustrations combine a Norman Rockwell realism with a caricaturist's sense of humor. (Ages 5 and older) --Richard Farr

From Publishers Weekly

No stranger to music (he released a CD for children titled "Singin' in the Bathtub"), actor Lithgow pens a romp of a tale about a prodigy whose quest for the perfect instrument leads him through virtually every section of the orchestra. "When Farkle McBride was a three-year-old tyke,/ All freckle-y, bony, and thin,/ He astonished his friends and his family alike/ By playing superb violin." After his debut, the easily dissatisfied diminutive genius trades in his fiddle for a flute ("He went Rootle-ee/ Tootle-ee/ Tootle-ee Too/ With all of the winds at his side"), then a trombone and subsequently percussion, all to no avail. Not until he steps in for an ill conductor does he finds his niche; a gatefold spread shows him ("satisfied!") in front of "all the instruments he ever tried." Lithgow's nimble verse with a limerick's beat sparkles as he introduces readers to the various instruments and their sounds. Payne's outrageously droll mixed media illustrations, with their blend of caricature and realism, recall Kathryn Hewitt's work in Lives of the Musicians. Although Farkle is remarkably difficult to please, his tale may well strike a chord with anyone who's ever made overtures at musicianship. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 70 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers; First Edition edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833407
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833403
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Humorous

More About the Author

Writing a children's book was not something that I pursued. It pursued me. It started when I was asked to write a narration for a symphony for kids. I realized that it had the text for a book. From that text "The Remarkable Farkle McBride" was born. And once the first book was successful, others followed.

My sixth (!) children's book, "Marsupial Sue Presents the Runaway Pancake," was just published this fall. This is a sequel to "Marsupial Sue," one of my most popular storybook characters.This story was inspired in part by two different things: The "Runaway Pancake" song is a guaranteed show stopper whenever I sing it in one of my Paloozicals Concert for Kids , and my performing on Broadway this year in "Dirty Rotton Scoundrels" made me think that Sue might like to put on a show of her own with all of her animal friends.

I credit my parents for fostering my love of literature and books. I have fond memories of my father reading chapters aloud from great thick books like "The Jungle Book" and "A Teller of Tales".

I have carried on my father's tradition by reading aloud to my own kids when they were little. I have also started a few traditions of my own, like singing to them and playing really mediocre guitar, building castles with them out of refrigerator boxes and treasure hunts across museums. Once I even created a very elaborate paper chase across the entire campus of UCLA for my daughter Phoebe's 16th Birthday. Some of these games were inspiration for all of the Lithgow Palooza books and books with kits that have been published by both Simon and Schuster and Running Press.

Although writing is an arduous process for me, there is nothing better than seeing a child falling in love with one of my stories.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music Made Wonderful, December 10, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Remarkable Farkle Mcbride (Hardcover)

Farkle McBride is definitely a remarkable little guy. He could play the violin at three. But was bored with violin playing at four. At five he discovered the flute. But at six decided it was not for him. When Farkle was seven, he took up the trombone, but then gave it up too. Next he tried percussion, but decided that was not quite right for him either. After thinking and thinking he realized that his very favorite sound was all the different instruments playing together...the orchestra. And so when the conductor gets sick, Maestro Farkle McBride steps in, finding what he really likes to do most at last. John Lithgow as written a terrific children's book, full of rhythm, rhyme and wonderful sound effects. His text is complimented by C.F. Payne's very expressive and detailed, larger than life illustrations. This is a delightful story that will charm and amuse all youngsters aged 4-8 and is a wonderful introduction to both musical instruments and the orchestra. The Remarkable Farkle McBride is a winner and a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wacky and witty!, September 26, 2000

By 

Leanne E. Bunas "Leanne B" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Remarkable Farkle Mcbride (Hardcover)

My kids (4-1/2 and 3 year-old twins) absolutely love this book! The words are interesting and complex, the rhymes are goofy, the illustrations are hysterical. I understand that there is a CD available to complement the book, which we will surely buy. We loved this book so much that we are donating a copy to our eldest's school. If you are familiar with and enjoy Garrison Keeler's delightful childrens book, "Cat, You Better Come Home," then Mr. Lithgow's book is a must buy.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book!, September 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Remarkable Farkle Mcbride (Hardcover)

As I read some of the other responses I got the idea that some people got different things out of this book than I did.

I first bought this book for the Illustrations (which I might add are up there with Ezra Jack Keats and Van Allsburg). Then I read the book and really enjoyed it.

Someone mentioned that It gave the wrong Ideas to kids. The only ideas that I saw this book giving to kids is that it is good to be interested in things and to not be afraid to try new things until you find what you love to do.

I would really recommend this book to anyone.