On Top Of Spaghetti [Hardcover]

Paul Brett Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

This favorite children's song, belted out around campfires for over forty years, is now a rollicking, sing-along book!

On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody SNEEZED . . .

This well-known song is a hilarious reminder that when events don't go quite as planned, they can get awfully silly. Paul Brett Johnson's colorful language and folly-filled illustrations are a surefire recipe for a lip-smacking storytime. Served up with the original music and lyrics it's sure to bring readers (and singers) of all ages to the table clamoring for more.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 Expanding on the popular song, Johnson spins the tale of Yodeler Jones, a hound dog who serves nothing but meatballs and spaghetti at his dining establishment. When business begins to slow, Yodeler concocts a brand-new meatball, but before he can taste it, someone sneezes, setting the song into action with the pooch and his animal pals in pursuit of the flyaway meatball. With original text printed in black and the lyrics sprinkled throughout in color, this story successfully marries the two. The loony illustrations, full of color and movement, effectively capture the zaniness. Pair this book with Judi Barrett's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (S & S, 1998) and Ryan SanAngelo's Spaghetti Eddie (Boyds Mills, 2002) for a yummy storytime treat. Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. In this picture-book invitation to a noisy storytime, seasoned author-illustrator Johnson extends songwriter Tom Glazer's classic anthem to spaghetti with an original frame story. When a gimmicky snack shop steals customers from a spaghetti cafe run by a beagle and mouse, the proprietors set out to concoct "the most dee-licious meatball this side of Sicily." Johnson's thickly outlined, ebullient acrylics show the delectable creation launched forth by a giant sneeze, ultimately sprouting into a meatball tree that puts the pasta joint back in the black. Lines from the song appear sandwiched between paragraphs of text, and the discontinuous presentation of the familiar lyrics may initially confuse children. But the slapstick, folksy tone of Johnson's contributions--especially the recurring exclamation, "Pardon my meatball!" as the foodstuff ricochets pinball-style around the community--will help to refocus children's attention from singing to listening. This jaunty offering will undoubtedly enter the sing-along rotation, and will have particular savor on days when spaghetti is on the lunch menu. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439749441
• ISBN-13: 978-0439749442
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 11.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids love it!, April 19, 2002

By 

Ginny (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Top of Spaghetti: Let Me Read, Level 3 (Hardcover)

I love to read this book with children. They love books that are sung to them (this uses the tune of "On top of Old Smoky"). The kids love to anticipate what is coming next, whether it is the first time reading it, or the 100th! I like to add things to each page (like eating the meatballs, or really giving a good fake sneeze on the appropriate pages) and the kids really get into that, too! This was a song and book I recalled from my own childhood, and the one and only book I HAD to get my son when he was born. I have since given it to other children, and it has become a favorite of theirs, too. It's a great book, and a great song they can learn and sing for fun, even when they are not looking at the book itself. It's just plain F-U-N!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The run away meatball, April 3, 2007

By 

Christy G. Hutson "chefgreen2002" (Ontario,Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Top Of Spaghetti (Hardcover)

This meatball adventure is a fun read. Great for a kids imagination. The illustrations are wonderfully colorful and detailed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Storyteller's Dream Book!!!!, September 18, 2007

By 

Debbra Johnson "Ms. Deb" (Wilmington, DE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On Top Of Spaghetti (Hardcover)

I am a creative arts educator who does everything from teaching music and movement classes to doing library story times to children of all ages. This book is an absolute MUST HAVE for anyone who does read aloud time with children. And if the storyteller happens to be a "ham" as I am (I do a lot of community theatre) then all the better. Reading this book out loud is as much fun (if not more) for the reader as it is for the listeners! And let me add that Paul Brett Johnson's "Little Bunny Foo Foo" is another book you should have in your arsenal! These books are so very much fun to read, and the added plus of being able to teach the songs and make the stories interactive with the children is a nice touch!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!