This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned [Hardcover]

Lisa Campbell Ernst (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

A father's work is never....

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–In this cheerful takeoff on "The House That Jack Built," Dad cleans the van and then takes his three children to pick up some fast food. By the time they get home, of course, the van is completely covered in fries, ketchup, and last year's Halloween candy. Have no fear, though; the kids clean it all up the next morning. Done in pastel, ink, and pencil, the cartoon artwork is broadly humorous, with the action growing ever more frantic until the wordless punch line when Dad finally turns around and notices the mess. The layout is ingenious, with the illustrations framed as if they were mounted in a family photo album. There are one or two awkward rhymes, but for the most part the text rolls merrily off the tongue. In fact, it begs to be read aloud. This book will resonate with many families. Pair it with Jules Feiffer's The Daddy Mountain (Hyperion, 2004) for a fabulous Father's Day storytime.–Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The nursery rhyme "This Is the House That Jack Built" is shifted to the suburbs. It starts with a father carefully cleaning his van before his three children pile in. A stop by the drive-up window of a fast-food place starts the troubles. It doesn't take long before scattered french fries, airborne ketchup packets, and spilled candy corn is all over the car. Closing double-page spreads show the kids diligently recleaning the van. Young readers or listeners are sure to enjoy the rhyming, cumulative text that ends with the refrain "the van that Dad cleaned." And they'll get plenty of laughs out of Ernst's simple, humorous, pastel, ink, and pencil illustrations. The baby's toy, a stuffed moose with one antler, stoically takes the brunt of the flying food and manages to be the funniest character, despite its deadpan features. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers; 1 edition (April 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689861907
• ISBN-13: 978-0689861901
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 11.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,323,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rollicking good fun!, November 7, 2005

By 

An Avid Reader (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned (Hardcover)

If you have ever been on a car trip with your kids, then don't miss this book. After a trip to through the drive through and with Dad focused on driving, the inside of the car carefully....deconstructs. Of course the kids have to clean up the mess so there is an excellent message in this story. Lisa Campbell Ernst's delightful drawings draw the young and old alike through this great fun tale. This book is great fun!

5.0 out of 5 stars Love This!, November 2, 2011

By 

Sarah Allison "Krcc" (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned (Hardcover)

This book is adorable. A lovely rendition of "The House that Jack Built." The words are carefully chosen and the illustrations are engaging. We got this from the library and love it. It is now on our "to buy" list for Christmas gift-giving. Because there are messages here for children and adults as well, both the reader and the one being read-to, will enjoy it. And I love the fact that the children clean up at the end.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars book page was torn and re-taped, January 29, 2011

By 

Nichole Goeden (El Cerrito, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Is the Van That Dad Cleaned (Hardcover)

book page was torn all the way through and re-taped--- I would have expected better with a book marked in "very good" condition