The Boy Who Cried Fabulous [Paperback]

Lesléa Newman (Author), Peter Ferguson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: August 1, 2007 | Age Range: 3 - 7 years

The only thing Roger likes better than exploring the world around him is describing it. And Roger describes most things as fabulous! But his parents have a different view. They want Roger to see things the way they do, so they ban "fabulous" from his vocabulary. Fabulously illustrated by Peter Ferguson, this cheerful tale will have children rejoicing along with Roger at all the fabulous--no, marvelous! no, dazzling!--things that await him when he steps outside.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Roger, a quirky, enthusiastic boy, is fascinated by the world around him. On the way to school, the clothes in a shop window catch his eye and he stops to exclaim over everything in the "fabulous" store. When he arrives late, his teacher yells at him, admonishing him to go straight home at the end of the day. Roger tries to obey, but he finds more "fabulous" things to shout about and doesn't get there until after dark. His parents are at a loss and end up sending him to bed and banning the word "fabulous" from the household. Roger wants to abide by their wishes, but during a family trip into town he is swept away by "a world too wondrous to ignore" and, in turn, leads the adults on a rollicking, adjective-filled journey through the streets until they come to understand and appreciate their "fabulous" son. Set several decades in the past, this silly but entertaining story is told in lilting rhyme and accompanied by expressive paintings rendered in subdued colors. Roger, with his red hair, eager face, and exuberant personality, fits right into the old-fashioned setting depicted in the artwork. This book offers a refreshing, optimistic message about appreciating the little things in life.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"...Kids will always cotton to a character who marches to a different drummer-- especially one with a fabulous beat." -- Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press; Reprint edition (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582462240
• ISBN-13: 978-1582462240
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.2 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lesléa Newman is the author of 64 books for readers of all ages including the teen novel in verse, OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD; the middle grade novel, HACHIKO WAITS; the poetry collection, STILL LIFE WITH BUDDY; the short story collection, A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK; and the children's books, A SWEET PASSOVER, THE BOY WHO CRIED FABULOUS, THE BEST CAT IN THE WORLD, RUNAWAY DREIDEL! and MATZO BALL MOON. Her literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation. OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD was named an American Library Association 2013 Stonewall Honor Book, and A SWEET PASSOVER was named a 2013 Sydney Taylor Honor as well. A past poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, she is a faculty member of Spalding University's brief-residency MFA in Writing program.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Fabulous Book! March 31, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This story is so enjoyable for both the reader and the listener! Parents will relate to the boy in the book who wastes time and is constantly late for everything and children will love the rhyme of the story and the repetitious use of the word "fabulous". The old-fashioned illustrations are charming and this is definitely a book my 4 year old and I will be reading for some time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Illustration is fabulous. June 21, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This a beautifully illustrated book. I'm amazed at the amount of time that Peter must have spent illustrating this book. The story is great, but it is the illustrations that makes the book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars what a fabulous book! March 31, 2004

By kid's book lover

Format:Hardcover

Roger is a boy who understands the simple things in life, like a beautiful street and an interesting store. His parents and teacher, however, don't find him being late too fabulous. His outlook on life soon turns everybody around to his cheery point of view. As a children's bookseller, I see hundreds of new picture books every year, but this one definitely stands out, as fabulous!