The Trouble with Dad (Mini Book) [Paperback]

Babette Cole (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Series: Mini Book

Dad is an inventor. He drives Mum mad! But one day Dad's robots go on TV and things are never the same again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a wacky follow-up to The Trouble with Mom, Dad is bored with his job and starts fiddling around with robots, much to Mom's consternation. But fiddling with robots leads to mixed-up adventures and narrow escapes, until a wealthy Arab buys Dad's robot collection to display in the desert as art. Mom is happy because now they are rich. Dad and son are happy because they can spend all their time making more robots. Cole plays fast and loose with her suitably droll text and comic pictures, proving there is plenty of room for a book as funny and original as this one.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3 In this comic narrative, Dad's trouble is that he builds robots, some of which overstep their duties. His robotic rabbit mows lawnsand fences, too. The kitchen helper destroys the kitchen and drives Mom nuts. Other inventions such as a baby twirler and a whole robot soccer team earn Dad so much fame that the BBC television network wants to do a program. Just as the crew arrives, the baby gets hold of the controls and robots run amuck through the town. Dad's saddled with damage payments until a wealthy Arab buys the robots for his new museum, and Dad and the narrator can go back to what they love bestmaking more robots. Frenetic activity and robotic doings are depicted in watercolor and fine lines, and the funny details are best viewed close up. The lumpish characters, first cousins to those drawn by Victoria Chess, are sure to make young readers grin. Susan Helpler, Windsor Public Library, Conn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Egmont Books (UK) (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405211229
• ISBN-13: 978-1405211222
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,118,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars No trouble to read this book, February 3, 2007

By 

L O'connor (richmond, surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trouble with Dad (Mini Book) (Paperback)

This is my sons favourite in Babette Cole's very funny 'Trouble With' series. The trouble with the dad in this book is that he has such a boring job that he spends all his spare time in the shed making robots, which all go wrong, with hilarious consequences. This reminds my sons of their own dad, who also spends much of his spare time in the workshop making things, though happily his don't often go wrong. This delightful story has a happy ending, Dad gets rich and doesn't have to do his boring job any more, so he and his son can spend all their time making robots, while Mum lies on a recliner in the sun eating chocolate eclairs (I am still waiting for this to happen to us). The great thing about these books is that they are fun for adults to read as well as children, amusing stories with wonderful illustrations, no matter how many times I am asked to read them to my sons, I never get bored.