Customer Reviews

Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to be Noticed

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This story tickled my funny bone and made me laugh! My grandchildren asked me to read it over and over. They asked lots of questions about the pictures. I loved the wonderful collage illustrations. The attention to detail is amazing. I thought this was an outstanding book for all ages.

My son wants to be a Ninja for Halloween. We also have a "literature parade" at school where the kids choose a character from a book and then dress up like them for the parade (also at halloween time), but he character cannot be violent or scary. Wink is perfect!! This book is absolutely adorable and both my 6-year-old son and my 10-year-old daughter loved it. Wink learns to make lemons out of lemonade when he realizes he doesn't want to be "stealthy". Anyone who has a k-2 boy understands that they just can't be quiet or sit still and Wink is no different. Notice the drapes in Grandmother's house? Cute!! Cute!! Cute!! And a lesson, be true to yourself and the person you are. Lovely! BTW, we purchased this book used and it arrived in perfectly new condition at half the price (from an amazon seller).

The first time I read this book to my children and finished the last page, my 3-year-old didn't hesitate: "Again," he said. "I love that Wink," my 6-year-old added. "She did all that art herself?" my 9-year-old asked of J.C. Phillipps, Wink's author and illustrator. Wink's story really does have something for everyone--humor, a sympathetic main character, stealthy ninja moves, fresh and engaging art, and reassurance that kids can (and should) be who they want to be. Kudos to J.C. Phillipps for creating a story that I look forward to reading well after after the bazillionth request from my kids!

My five year old grandson is into karate, ninjas, swords, etc. He really enjoys this book. He wants to talk about whether the instructor is unfair or just doing his job. This is fun to read and leads to good discussion.

In the same vain as Tacky the Penguin, J.C. Phillips tells a story of a hero who marches to the beat of his own drum. It was also a great introduction to my 5 year old on the use of metaphors and analogies as a form of expression. I bought this along with a set of Ninja Matryoshkas (Nesting Dolls) and I think it was his favorite present of all the dozens of Christmas gifts he got!

When I saw this book had a five-star-review, I have to give it a shot. And the book is very cute, but it does lack the five-star rating. However, my son loves it, and really, that's all that counts.

My 3 years old son loves it! The pictures give you oriental feeling, not Japanese, but more like Chinese. Since I am Japanese, it bothers me a bit, but otherwise it's a very cute book.

We recently purchased WINK's new adventure (The Ninja Who Wanted to Nap), and wanted to mention how we loved the first book as well as the new one.

WINK is such a quirky and fun character, and both books have great adventures that my kids love. Beautiful artwork in both books too!

My son has a new obsession...ninjas! I was quite pleased when I found this book at the library. He LOVED it and begged to hear the story over and over. Then promptly notified me that we need one to keep. I would recommend this book to anyone (even I have enjoyed reading it for the 100th time).

Wink is a lovable character who tries so hard to be a stealthy ninja. After much trial and error, he is who he is and finds the perfect "job" to suit his talents. The illustrations are terrific.

Wink is a little ninja who can't sit still or be quiet. Even though Master Zutsu tries to teach stealth through discipline, Wink doesn't get it. Master Zutsu tells his students, "Silence is the weapon of the ninja," but Wink can't help himself and is unable to embrace stillness. Boy does this sound familiar. Wink is my four year old!

Wink goes through a series of encounters until he finally finds an appropriate outlet for his enthusiasm and creativity. Though put across in a humorous manner, there are deeper underlying issues such as feeling left out or different (something we can all relate to at some point) and personal authenticity--finding a way to express your true self and being appreciated for that.

The illustrations are fantastic, filled with charming details and visual textures. This book is intelligent, unique and fun to read over and over.