Toby, Where Are You? [Paperback]

William Steig (Author), Teryl Euvremer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1999

Toby loves hiding from his parents--upstairs, downstairs, just about anywhere. But when Toby begins to think that his parents will never find him, he just can't stand it. "Here I am!" he cries. One of "School Library Journal's" "Best Books '97.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Steig and Euvremer stage a classic game of hide-and-seek in a book that proves that even the simplest and most familiar of premises can yield original charms. A mother and father (of a furry, long-tailed, indeterminate species) search the house for their impish child; reflecting the right mixture of Toby's fantasy and the parents' willingness to enter into it, Steig's (The Toy Brother) text reports that the parents are "just a tiny bit worried." Readers, meanwhile, can spot Toby hiding in each cozily decorated setting, although they may have to look closely. The grinning creature chooses some goofily improbable undercover positions: he's pictured atop a table on all fours, replacing the base of a Tiffany lamp; perched on the rooftop, ostensibly imitating a weather vane; and nestled among the grapes in a fruit bowl. Euvremer's (Sun's Up) quasi-pointillist art is not without flaws-it's overlit and the draftsmanship is uneven. But the pictures are nevertheless as playful as the family they picture, and they capture Toby's innocent sense of mischief. Paired with Steig's pitch-perfect writing, they add up to an hide-and-seek entry worth searching for. All ages.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreS. Indulgent parents search the house for their young weasel until he pops up and makes his presence known. The soft-edged images and cozy text are as reassuring as the hugs and kisses at story's end.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 28 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062059297
• ISBN-13: 978-0062059291
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,527,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Steig (1907-2003) published his first children's book, Roland the Minstrel Pig, in 1968, and received the Caldecott Medal for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (978-1416902065) in 1970. His works also include The Amazing Bone, a Caldecott Honor Book, and Abel's Island and Doctor De Soto, both Newbery Honor Books. His most recent books published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux are Shrek! (released by DreamWorks as a major motion picture) and Wizzil, illustrated by Quentin Blake. School Library Journal named Shrek! a Best Book of 1990 and said of it, "Steig's inimitable wit and artistic dash have never been sharper or more expertly blended."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've always loved Steig's work, January 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Toby, Where Are You? (Hardcover)

I purchased this book because I remember reading the author's work when I was a child. What a delight that William Steig is still at it. Our two year old loves this story about Toby hiding from his parents. She can find him in all his hiding spots. A quick read appropriate for a toddler with soft illustrations. Like an "I Spy" with a story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "So where in the dickens is he?", November 25, 2003

By 

Soaring Heart - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toby, Where Are You? (Library Binding)

My daughter loves books that she gets to play an active role in. TOBY, WHERE ARE YOU? definitely lets her have fun finding Toby. And he isn't very easy to find! Sometimes when she finds him we both can't help but to crack up laughing at his hiding "position." For example, the favorite page by far of both my daughter and I is when his mother in her long, flowered gown is searching her floor to ceiling bookshelf and doesn't notice that Toby is actually on all fours on the table beside the bookcase, with the glass lamp shade on his shoulders and bottom! Lol! Also, the illustration of "He's not outside" is hiliarious.

A book that encourages shared interaction and laughter is fun for both the parent and child. Thanks, Steig and especially Euvremer for your delightful illustrations with use of dots of texture and light tones. My daughter and I soar to this one!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun to read, December 13, 2006

By 

EmmaJ (La Jolla, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toby, Where Are You? (Hardcover)

My son has been a huge fan of this book since we first checked it out the library when he was about 18 months old. He loves to look for Toby and talk about Toby, and all the other details in the illustrations. Its a lot of fun to read together, the hiding places are funny and the ending is very reassuring.