Old Black Fly (Board book)

~ (Author), Stephen Gammell (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aylesworth and Gammell wing their way through the alphabet on the back of a pesky housefly in this ebullient picture-book romp. On a summer day, old black fly "bothered the baby," "coughed on the cookies" and "drove the dog nearly out of his wits," as family members attempt to "Shoo fly! / Shoo fly! Shooo." The persistent pest leaves a messy trail of near disasters until finally meeting up with the wrong end of a swatter. Ayleworth's snappy couplets constitute a waggish presentation of a basic concept. A brightly colored first letter highlights one word on each page that corresponds to the objects and action found in the illustration. Gammell's paintings are exuberant splashes of mayhem--rainbows of splattered hues from which truly memorable characters emerge. His appropriately bug-eyed (and cross-eyed) fly and gap-toothed humans sporting crazy hairdos provide a level of dementia that children will relish. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-- A pesky fly turns a household inside out in this rollicking tale. ``He ate on the crust of the A pple pie./He bothered the B aby and made her cry./ Shoo fly! Shoo fly! Shooo.'' This fly is on an alphabetical rampage through the house, leaving destruction in his wake as he flits from the C ookie to the D og to the E ggs to the F rosting, and so on to a final, satisfying ``Swat!'' Aylesworth's funny, rhythmic chant is strong enough to stand alone. Add Gammell's spattery, jumpy illustrations, splashed with color, alive with movement, line, and humor, and what emerges is a book that's sure to become a classic. To be enjoyed at home as a lapbook, to be read aloud with relish at story times, to be chanted again and again and again! --Gail C. Ross, Baltimore County Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Board book: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); Brdbk edition (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805058400
• ISBN-13: 978-0805058406
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,129,839 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We enjoyed the funny rhymes and ending., September 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Black Fly (Hardcover)

We are a kindergarten class, and we loved this book. We especially liked when Old Black Fly gets swatted at the end of the story. We liked when we could read along with "shoo fly, shoo fly, shoo!" The pictures were funny too.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just plain fun to read, September 4, 2000

By	KMarshall "kmarshal36" (Laurel, IA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is just plain fun to read -- over and over again! It was one of the first books that my toddler would actually sit and listen to, and now at 18 months he's an active participant -- searching for the old black fly on each page and giving him a playful SWAT! I definitely recommend purchasing this book in hardcover, as the soft binding is simply no match for its popularity.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five "Swats" for Old Black Fly, November 21, 1999

By	Dwain Preston (Quincy, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Black Fly (Hardcover)

I teach high school, but I am also a storyteller, and I gobefore a lot of elementary-age kids. "Old Black Fly" is agreat book to do with them. They like the alphabetizing, the color, the great pictures by Stephen Gammell, and, especially, the repetition of "Shoo fly! Shoo fly! Shoo!" (A lot like the old folk song, "Shoo, Fly! Don't Bother Me!"). This book is a keeper, and if your kids or grandkids don't have it in their library, shame on you! Get it for them--TODAY!