From Publishers Weekly
Illustrations in full, wild colors suit the frantic doings in Joyce's debut, a fast and funny tale. When George wakes up one morning, he realizes that his dream has come true. George has dwindled. He's smaller than his toy soldiers, half the size of his baby brother. But he's still the responsible boy his parents trust to obey orders they have left in a note beside his bed. And so a whirligig of merriment jets off with the minute lad minding the baby (George harnesses him to a wagon to haul out the garbage) and taking care of other chores. To feed the goldfish, George dons a diving helmet. To wash the dishes, he converts a sponge into "skis" and hurtles down plates in the sink with spoons as poles. The strange day ends with a final surprise for the little big brother and his delighted readers.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 In his parents' absence, George dreams that he's small, and he awakens to find himself about three inches high. The understated text (largely the words of a note left to remind George to make his bed, brush his teeth, take out the garbage, etc.) is counterpointed by paintings with realistic detail in cartoon colors andoutstandinglyby their perspective: a mouse-eye view of the high adventure such boring chores become under the unusual circumstances. George's high-handed treatment of a malevolent cat, and the cat's near-revenge (thwarted when the shock-headed hero, under the bedcovers, pops back to normal size just in time for Mom and Dad's return) provides a little narrative line for the fun and excitement. Some witty touches and '50s nostalgia should please parents, who will root along with their kids for this updated and unflappable Tom Thumb. Treehorn, move over! Patricia Dooley, formerly at Drexel University, Phila .
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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