How I Learned to Love Liver: and Other Tales Too Tall To Tell (Audio Cassette)

~ Joel ben Izzy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-8--You can do anything if you try hard enough, as the title story of this collection suggests. Joel Ben Izzy is the storyteller for these tall tales, exaggerations, and downright lies. The settings and characters are contemporary ones with quirky twists. "Brian, Who Loves Watermelon" is the tale of a boy whose love of this summertime treat grows out of control. "Brian, Who Hates Watermelon" is the flip side in which Brian learns the hard way why it is dangerous to shove watermelon seeds up your nose. Several of the stories follow this vein of bizarre food-related events reminiscent of traditional tall tales. "Moose Turd Pie," the story of a luckless lumbercamp cook, may send some listeners into groans, others into gales of laughter. "Paula Bunyan: A True Story" weaves elements of the familiar folktale into a modern story in the best tall tale tradition. The tellings are in a concert setting, and the sound quality of the recording is sharp enough to clearly recreate the enthusiastic comments of the audience. Ben Izzy's style is crisp, energetic, and has that truthful tone that marks successful tall tale tellings. It's only when the story's last sentence settles over listeners that they realize that they've been had. "Don't believe everything you hear--just what you hear from me" is Ben Izzy's parting advice to listeners as he delivers his last tale. These original tall tales will be an enjoyable complement to their traditional counterparts in school and public libraries.

Nancy L. Chu, Western Illinois University, Macomb

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Ben Izzy's style is crisp and energetic, with that truthful tone that marks all successful tall tale tellings." -- School Library Journal

"Major kid appeal" -- Parents' Choice Magazine, 1998

Ben Izzy, like Bill Harley, has major kid-appeal for his conversational yarn spinning. The latter's is based on ordinary activities and observational humor. Here he is in a live performance, interacting with a gaggle of youngsters who answer questions and supply giggles and "ewwws." Be warned: Ben Izzy's humor often plays to a kid's funnybone. "Things get a little out of hand" when a boy overcomes his loathing for liver; one boy's love for watermelon turns sour--the moral is, never put watermelon seeds up your nose--and a reluctant cook's revenge in a lumberjack camp is decidedly impolite. Ben Izzy, who finds his leg-pulling inspiration in childhood memories, in being a parent, and in his story-collecting travels around the world, also offers an entertaining version of the Paul Bunyan legend--it seems her real name was Paula. A 1998 Parents' Choice® Silver Honor.--This refers to the audio cd edition of this title.

Reviewed by Lynne Heffley, Parents' Choice® 1998 -- From Parents' Choice®

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Old City Press (December 1, 1997)
• ISBN-10: 0963112961
• ISBN-13: 978-0963112965
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 2.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,151,371 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)