Tub Toys [Paperback]

Terry Miller Shannon (Author), Timothy Warner (Author), Lee Calderon (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

The water's running, bubbles bubbling, time to grab some toys. One duck, two trucks, three bottles...how much can a tub hold? Even the bath-shy will relish the rambunctious rhymes in this ballad of a bubble-loving bather and his over-the-top attempts to assemble his army of toys. Good to the last--surprise!--drop.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With a passion approaching that of Ernie for his rubber ducky, the young narrator extols the joys of trotting out so many tub toys at bathtime that "there's not a spot for me!" As ablution accoutrements accumulate, first-time illustrator Calderon's digital pictures employ the kind of exaggerated, plasticine-textured characterizations (complete with oversize heads), vertiginous perspectives (one of which displays the narrator's skinny rear to great comic effect) and vaguely retro gestalt that will make fans of Nickelodeon animation feel right at home. Among the many sight gags are the boy's Rube Goldberg-like contraptions; he uses a toy crane to lower his "windup froggy friend" into the drink and devises an elaborate conveyor belt to ease the embarkation of the rest of his animal figures (as well as the family dog). In rhyming text, Shannon and Warner, a mother/son team also making their children's book debut, alternate between enumerating ever-escalating groups of toys and adding in the child's last-minute inspirations ("Four blocks fall through the foam, / And I can't forget my astronaut/ inside his spaceship home"), so that readers can't keep track any better than the narrator. Ultimately, the words, set in a bouncy, 1960s-styled typeface, function more as visual punctuation than narrative engine anyway it's in Calderon's over-the-top pictures that the fun runneth over. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-A bug-eyed boy appears to be eager to have an evening soak. As soon as his father calls out "Bath time!," the child is off and running. However, it soon becomes clear that his enthusiasm lies not in taking a bath, but in filling the tub until it "is crammed so full of toys/there's not a spot for me!" As their silly son scampers pell-mell about the house gathering more playthings to add to his pile, Dad's frustration causes him to change into a pointy-toothed shark while Mom becomes a purple octopus sporting a pearl bracelet. The array of items that is heaped into the tub runs the gamut from the typical-rubber duck, frog, and boats-to the more bizarre-noodle strainer, eggbeater, and funnel. Beginning with endpapers that show a shower curtain emblazoned with yellow ducks, the colorful, computer-generated artwork is eye-catching. Children will get a laugh out of this story told in rhyme-and maybe a few ideas.
Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582462356
• ISBN-13: 978-1582462356
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 0.2 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,754,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Tub Toys, April 19, 2003

By 

C. D. Stuckey "Consider it all joy" (Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tub Toys (Hardcover)

Tub Toys is truly a terrific book by Terry Miller Shannon and son, Timothy Warner. I was reminded of my own tub time toy experiences as a child while reading. This book is delightful, fun, bright, witty, and even silly. I think a few of my favorite touches were the jacket and the cover design being different from eachother, what a thoughtful touch. I also enjoyed the authors' play on words as the toy search escalates. I thought the Mom and Dad turning into ocean creatures was a fun twist. As if the child's imagination was completely submerged in the water.
As soon as this book arrived I sat down and read it to my daughter. She has dozens of books and brought this one to me three times in a row so that she could hear the rhyme and see the lively illustrations. She's young now, but will surely grow up loving this book. Even now, at 14 months, bath-time is her favorite time of day, she gets so excited about her rubber duckies and her bubbles. I know that she'll be able to relate to the young boy in the story as she grows.
Terry, Timothy, and Lee, you have all done a tremendous job with this one! I look forward to your next collaborations with great excitement and I thank you on my daughter's behalf for sharing your amazing talent for writing and illustrating with the world! Cheers!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tons of toys - Yahoo!, January 2, 2003

By 

Simona Nielsen (Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tub Toys (Hardcover)

When you tell your children to get ready for bath what do they do? Immediately they run into their room to find toys to play with in the water. The bath must be journey before they think it's fun. This is the issue in `Tub Toys' - a cute and funny children's picture book co-written by Terry Miller Shannon and her son Timothy Warner.

The real `star' in this book is Timothy Warner's son Liam who gave inspiration to the creation of this book. When the book arrived in the mail to me I showed it to my three year old daughter, and she LOVED it! The book is written in verses and has wonderful and funny illustrations done by Lee Calderon.

There is no limit of what the little boy in the book is taking with him in the tub. A bit sad about that he only has ONE bath duck; he takes revenge and throws all other animals in the tub, so his duck won't be lonely. How it all ends I won't tell you; but how do his parents handle this situation?

This book is the perfect gift for a young child. The illustrations are many and are the perfect affect for conversation with the child. I can tell you it was funny to see what my daughter got out of this book. It's a fiver!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Read-Aloud, February 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Tub Toys (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my own son, and as soon as it arrived I ordered more. It's a great gift book because it's guaranteed to be an immediate favorite with youngsters. Funny, bouncy rhyme and delightful pictures make it perfect for reading aloud. I also shared it with kids at the school library. Although it says it's targeted for kids up to first grade, I can assure you that it kept 25 third-graders enthralled and laughing!