Review by Booklist Review
At first, the animal couples are excited about their cruise on Noah's Ark. But when the rain goes on and on, the giraffes are grumpy, the hyenas are hysterical, the iguanas are impatient, and they all blame Noah, until he yells at them: We're all in the same boat! Then things turn around: the elephants become more enthusiastic, the foxes tell fables, the giraffes make gifts, and the kangaroos play kickball. The text's alphabet wordplay, alliteration, and parody will have kids and adults laughing out loud; and the bright, colorful double-page spreads extend the verbal fun in scenes of the dressed-up animal passengers munching pizza on deck or wearing sunglasses and mouthing off as they play checkers. Children will enjoy practicing the big words about feeling vexed, livid, and exasperated.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-For the first few days after they board the ark to escape the heavy rain, the animals enjoy the novelty of the voyage. However, as weeks pass, tempers start to flare, and an alphabetic litany of animals and their grievances begins. Camels complain, kangaroos kick, yaks yell, and the rest of the passengers contribute to the miserable atmosphere. Finally, Noah calls a halt to the uproar with a resounding shout to remind the creatures that they have to get along on a crowded boat. The next pass through the alphabet is much more congenial. Iguanas invite jaguars to jam. Quails quote rhymes with rabbits at a penguin party. In short, spirits improve considerably. Davis's hilarious illustrations of the facial expressions and actions of the various animals add to the liveliness and humor. Lots of interactions occur simultaneously, giving readers much to explore visually. Aside from the basic premise of Noah and a huge assortment of animals, there's little relation to the familiar Bible tale. Shapiro has crafted a humorous alphabet story with an underlying message of cooperation-a winning combination.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
With alphabetic aplomb, Shapiro's text describes the animals' restlessness on Noah's ark ("the giraffes were grumpy," "the llamas were livid"). When Noah, out of patience, shouts "We're all in the same boat!" the mood turns around, and the ark sails on "with a promise of peace." Davis's exaggerated cartoon illustrations suit the offbeat style of this creative takeoff on the Bible story. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The animals pile into the Ark, two by two, bringing along their umbrellas, rain hats and take-out pizza for the journey. As the difficulties of the voyage become apparent, an alphabetical accounting of the animals' adversities ensues, from the antsy ants and bored bees right on to the worried worms and the zoned-out zebras. When Noah bellows out the titular phrase, the animals have a change of heart, and another alphabetical listing evolves, describing positive actions that benefit the group instead of complaints. This version of the biblical tale does not include any mention of God or the reasons behind the flood, focusing simply on the animals and the turnaround in group dynamics. Davis's illustrations provide clever detailsthe animal duos sport clothing and accessoriesand expressive faces convey the animals' emotions. Noah's Ark stories are as plentiful as starfish in the sea, but this offering from a first-time author has something new to say: Cooperation and support in tough times can keep a boatload of buddies afloat. (Picture book/religion. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
