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Benny and Penny in Just Pretend Hardcover – Picture Book, April 7, 2008
Purchase options and add-ons
- Reading age4 - 8 years
- Print length32 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 3
- Lexile measureGN220L
- Dimensions6.25 x 0.33 x 9.2 inches
- PublisherTOON Books
- Publication dateApril 7, 2008
- ISBN-100979923808
- ISBN-13978-0979923807
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From School Library Journal
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From Booklist
Review
Maryland Blue Crab Young Readers Honor Book
Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best of 2009 Continuing Series
Iowa Goldfinch Award
"The sweet, delicately colored illustrations have an old-fashioned feel that gives the familiar sibling story a timeless quality, while the simple yet varied panel arrangement allows even very young children to understand the difference between a comic and a picture book. The text uses a limited but rich vocabulary with sufficient repetition to help with word recognition, and children will easily grasp the message while appreciating Benny’s change of heart at the story’s close. A charmer that will invite repeated readings."
--Booklist
"In this graphic mini-novel, a mouse in pirate dress fends off the overtures of his persistent little sister (garbed as a princess), then turns out to be more of a wuss than she is when it comes to bugs. Launching an easy-reader series with this tried-and-true narrative arc, this episode features two very young-looking sibs moving through an idyllic outdoorsy setting and, after a series of tiffs and temporary setbacks, sharing a make-up hug before embarking together on an imagined pirate adventure. Framed in well-separated panels of diverse shape, the art incorporates 'plewds,' 'briffits' and other visual conventions from comics, along with a mix of dialogue balloons and boxed narrative snippets. Emergent readers should have no trouble following along - or (except perhaps for only children) identifying with the situation."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Appropriate for newly independent readers...The sibling relationship is sweetly and realistically portrayed. A fresh and fun choice for beginning readers--especially those discouraged by text-heavy pages--and for sharing aloud."
--School Library Journal
"Captures the annoyance children often feel toward their younger siblings, while ensuring the underlying love is present and expressed."
--Slings and Arrows
About the Author
His TOON Book series of Benny and Penny books has garnered multiple awards. In 2009, Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award given by the American Library Association for "the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English."
Product details
- Publisher : TOON Books; Illustrated edition (April 7, 2008)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 32 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0979923808
- ISBN-13 : 978-0979923807
- Reading age : 4 - 8 years
- Lexile measure : GN220L
- Grade level : Preschool - 3
- Item Weight : 8.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 0.33 x 9.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #376,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #727 in Children's Mouse, Hamster, Guinea Pig & Squirrel Books
- #1,190 in Children's Siblings Books (Books)
- #3,292 in Children's Beginner Readers
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Geoffrey Hayes grew up in San Francisco and has been telling stories all his life. He and his brother Rory drew picture books for each other even before they learned to write. As time went on, they incorporated their stuffed animals and toys, each with distinctive personalities, into their stories, art and home movies.
As a young man, Geoffrey moved to New York where he studied at Hunter College, the School of Visual Arts and The Art Students League. He earned a living in the Interior Design department of an architectural firm where he was able to hone his drafting skills, and began building his portfolio. His first book BEAR BY HIMSELF, published by HarperCollins in 1976, was in print for over thirteen years -- and was later reissued by Random House. His third book, illustrations for Margaret Wise Brown's WHEN THE WIND BLEW, was chosen by the New York Times as one of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year. About this time, Geoffrey began studying with Caldecott Award-Winning artist Uri Shulevitz.
Geoffrey discovered that he had an innate talent for understanding the way young children think and behave, as well as an ability for telling stories with simple, direct language. This led to a long career writing Easy Readers. His series of OTTO AND UNCLE TOOTH adventures for Random House have sold over a million and a half copies, and his BENNY AND PENNY readers, published by TOON Books have won numerous awards and honors, including the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award in 2010 -- the first time this was given to a graphic reader.
BENNY AND PENNY in LET'S PRETEND was the initial title in the TOON Books line, the brainchild of Francoise Mouly -- the first ever readers done as comics. This idea has proven immensely successful with parents, librarians and children. Doing books for TOON reawakened Geoffrey;s early love of the Graphic Novel format and sequential storytelling. Currently, he is hard at work on his dream project, a 144 page original fairy tale, LOVO AND THE FIREWOLF, which Fantagraphics plans to publish in early 2018.
To see more from Geoffrey Hayes go to:
Facebook/Geoffrey Hayes Illustrator
Patreon.com/GeoffreyHayes
www.toon-books.com
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Customer reviews
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Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's good for learning to read. The illustrations receive positive feedback, and customers appreciate the literacy level, with one noting that children are motivated to read these books.
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Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's good for learning to read and another noting it's a comic book format that their child loves.
"My almost 3-year old loves this comic book. She identifies with Penny and really enjoys us reading the story to her again and again" Read more
"My kids love this. Will be good for when learning to read. Fun, filled with illustrations. Better than a storybook. It's basically a comic book." Read more
"It is good to find some books for kids. It is in very good condition. will check and buy other books in the future." Read more
"...this for my granddaughter (age 6) and she thought it was the most fun to read!" Read more
Customers like the illustrations in the book.
"...told in graphic book form, but this won me over with its plot, illustrations, and the characters of Benny and Penny...." Read more
"...Will be good for when learning to read. Fun, filled with illustrations. Better than a storybook. It's basically a comic book." Read more
"I love these cute books. My grandchildren are very motivated to read these." Read more
"Cute pictures, but a horrible story...." Read more
Customers appreciate the literacy level of the book, with one mentioning that their grandchildren are very motivated to read it, while another notes that young children will identify with Benny and Penny.
"...but this won me over with its plot, illustrations, and the characters of Benny and Penny...." Read more
"My kids love this. Will be good for when learning to read. Fun, filled with illustrations. Better than a storybook. It's basically a comic book." Read more
"I love these cute books. My grandchildren are very motivated to read these." Read more
"Great for 1s and 2nd grade..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2025My almost 3-year old loves this comic book. She identifies with Penny and really enjoys us reading the story to her again and again
- Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2011This is a delightful story of an older brother not wanting his younger sister to play with him. At first I thought I wouldn't like an early-reader type story told in graphic book form, but this won me over with its plot, illustrations, and the characters of Benny and Penny. Young children will identify with Benny and Penny and will be delighted in the outcome.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2017I am a mom of three daughters and I love these books! My 1st and 2nd grader read this series and the characters are wonderful.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2013My kids love this. Will be good for when learning to read. Fun, filled with illustrations. Better than a storybook. It's basically a comic book.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015I love these cute books. My grandchildren are very motivated to read these.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2013It is good to find some books for kids. It is in very good condition. will check and buy other books in the future.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2014I bought this for my granddaughter (age 6) and she thought it was the most fun to read!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2014great series
Top reviews from other countries
Nicola MansfieldReviewed in Canada on February 19, 20094.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended
This time around I'm reviewing the first three books published in this series of graphic novels for emergent readers. The struggling reader (8yo) enjoyed the others so much we went out and bought the first three. So he has now read the entire line of Toon Books and anxiously awaits the publication of the next set.
They are around 30-odd pages each and first published April 2008.
This book is in the mid-range for reading level of the suggested ages, aprrox. RL 1-2. Benny and Penny have been in another book of the series and they are a fun brother and sister pairing. In this book Benny wants to play pirates and just wants Penny to leave him alone. He isn't very nice to her. But by the end he has learnt his lesson and they are friends together and Benny learns sometimes little sisters can play "boy" stuff too!






