Terrific (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)) [Hardcover]

Jon Agee (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up | Series: New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)

"Terrific," says Eugene, after winning an all-expenses-paid vacation in Bermuda. "I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn." Unfortunately, Eugene's luck is a lot worse than that. First, his cruise ship sinks, then he ends up stranded on a tiny island. But Eugene isn't alone. There's another castaway, a parrot with a busted wing, who tells him what there is to eat and drink and how to build a sailboat. Cranky Eugene pays attention, and now his luck begins to change.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–With pithy humor and a knack for comic timing, Agee has created a character who will endear himself to readers despite his curmudgeonly exterior and posturing. Eugene Mudge lives in Dismal, ND, and has a little problem with negativity. When he wins a free trip to Bermuda, his response is ‘Terrific, I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn.' Nothing seems to go right for him and no matter how horrible the experience–a wrecked cruise ship, a deserted island, a talking parrot, and almost dying of thirst–his response is always a snide, ‘Terrific.' Eugene's a grumpy old man, but sometimes, grumpy old men can surprise you. Sometimes, they even surprise themselves. The cartoon illustrations feature strong lines and soft colors that contrast wonderfully with the story line. With just a few lines, Eugene's bulbous nose and personality shine through. This is a perfect read-aloud for older students who are developing an ear for sarcasm and younger children who will enjoy this offbeat adventure.–Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. By the creator of numerous collections of palindromes and picture books like Milo's Hat Trick (1998), this title encapsulates Agee's natural strengths: deadpan delivery, lean storytelling, and an impeccable design sense. With his slumped shoulders and 1940s hat and overcoat, Eugene is a picture of middle-class discontentment. How about an all-expenses paid trip to Bermuda? "'Terrific,' he [says], I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn." When a shipwreck leaves him marooned with a talking parrot, the peppy, capable bird gradually transforms Eugene's pessimism. Agee's no-frills artwork reflects techniques borrowed from comic strips; neatly penciled frames focus attention and indicate elapsed time, while Eugene's exaggerated body proportions amplify the humor of his bond with the tiny bird. Few kids are clamoring for tales about jaded grown-ups' emotional rebirth, but there is much to command their attention here: Listeners will particularly enjoy the repeated utterances of Eugene's favorite word, especially the exuberant, heartfelt "TERRIFIC!"at book's close.Oversize dimensions and opportunities for chiming in make this a storytime natural. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Michael Di Capua Books (August 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786851848
• ISBN-13: 978-0786851843
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #449,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Half-empty becomes half-full., March 7, 2007

By 

David C. Roller (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Terrific (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Teriffic is an excellent work, in that it chronicles the change of a character's perception of the world through one parrot and one word.
Jon Agee has crafted a wonderful book that certainly lives up to it's name!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Every grump has his day, December 13, 2005

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terrific (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

From Oscar the Grouch to "Winnie-the-Pooh's" Eeyore, kids are well-acquainted with the nature of grumpy, grouchy, depressed people/animalia. Picture books, however, haven't properly plumbed this rich resource for all it's worth. Haven't, that is, until now. Enter, "Terrific" by Jon Agee. In it, the world's most inaccurate pessimist joins forces with a tropical critter and together the two work up an unlikely friendship. Prior to the publication of this title, Jon Agee's books had been either designer dreamboats of surrealistic fodder (as in "Z Goes Home") or they've been about the unlikely pairings of men and wild creatures (as in "Milo's Hat Trick"). "Terrific" falls squarely into the latter category.

Most people would be thrilled to win an all-expenses-paid cruise to Bermuda. Eugene is not most people. His reaction? "Terrific. I'll probably get a really nasty sunburn". No sunburn is in Eugene's future, but a shipwreck does leave him stranded on a tiny desert island. Once there, he is befriended by Lenny the talking parrot. Lenny can't flee the island due to a bum wing, but he can draw a nifty diagram of the boat he and Eugene can build. Build it they do (with Eugene muttering, "Terrific. I'm going to permanently damage my lower back", all the while) and the two cast off. They are then struck sharply by a rescue ship and arrive in Bermuda. Eugene naturally assumes that Lenny is going to remain with the ship (which he once worked on) but the birdy surprises his new friend by making it perfectly clear that he's sticking by his side. And what does Eugene say without a hint of malice or sarcasm to tinge his words? "Terrific!".

Consistently throughout this book Eugene sarcastically predicts one calamity and then gets walloped by a completely different one. It's funny, but sometimes Agee's pictures are at odds with his story. If you just read this book without looking at it, you might get the idea that Eugene walks around with a permanent frown affixed to his face. On the contrary, our hero is at times morose, lonely, grudgingly pleased, and mildly hurt. Agee draws with a deft hand. Images are crisp, clear, and reduced to their most essential forms. It's enough to make you not wonder too hard where exactly Eugene got the tools to build his desert island boat. Hm.

It's hard not to root with Eugene every step of the way. His down-in-the-mouth approach to life is countermanded perfectly by Lenny. Lenny is, fortunately, not a permanently perky parrot or a bird with incessant platitudes. He's just a forthright guy who knows exactly how to utilize Eugene's strengths to get the two of them off the island. This is a lesson in cooperation without ever striking the reader as fake or saccharine.

"Terrific" seems to mark a new step in Agee's picture book career. This is a book that is far more character-based than his past efforts. The result is that it has won accolade upon accolade. The art is fabulous, the story droll, and the words pitch perfect. If you've a kid with a soft-spot for grump reformation (or, to simplify, if you have a kid) then "Terrific" is a no-brainer choice. Excellent preschool fare.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars With the Help of a Friend, August 3, 2011

By 

Ohioan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terrific (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Another wonderful picture book from Jon Agee. In this one, always-pessimistic Eugene is shipwrecked with a parrot. If it were up to Eugene, he would just sit there and starve -- but the parrot encourages him and even instructs him, and before you know it, the two castaways are back on the ocean and back on land. I love how economical and funny Agee is, as when Eugene decides they're going to die of thirst and the parrot spots a ship. A wonderful story about what happens when a pessimist meets a practical, non-hyperbolic creature. We should all have friends like Lenny, the parrot.