Whether we are pretty ugly or terribly cute, we've all faced a minor catastrophe, made an original copy, or taken a calculated risk. And there are those of us who have turned up missing (sometimes accidentally on purpose). Good grief! These are oxymorons,
Who Ordered the Jumbo Shrimp?: And Other Oxymorons FROM THE PUBLISHER Whether we are pretty ugly or terribly cute, weve all faced a minor catastrophe, made an original copy, or taken a calculated risk. And there are those of us who have turned up missing (sometimes accidentally on purpose).Good grief! These are oxymorons, common expressions made up of two completely contradictory words or elements.Jon Agee follows up his critically acclaimed palindrome books with a collection of over fifty of these strangely familiar phrases, each accompanied by a seriously hilarious illustration. Children and adults alike will be awfully amused by this small masterpiecedestined to be an instant classic! Author Biography: Jon Agee is the author and illustrator of ten books for children, inluding The Return of Freddy LeGrand (a School Library Journal Best Book of 1992), The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau (an ALA Notable Childrens Book), and Dmitri the Astronaut, named one of the ten best picture books of 1996 by The New York Times. He lives in New York City.
FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly "Palindrome collector Agee turns his attention to oxymorons in this witty compendium" said PW. "He pairs 60 illogical sayings like `Near Miss' and `Sharp Curves' with his own loosely drawn, duotone illustrations with observational humor." Ages 5-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Publishers Weekly Palindrome collector Agee (Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!) turns his attention to oxymorons in this witty compendium. He pairs 60 illogical sayings like "Near Miss" and "Sharp Curves" with his own loosely drawn, duotone illustrations; as the cover image of a sofa-size "jumbo shrimp" demonstrates, his pleasure from oxymorons depends on observational humor, a la George Carlin or Jerry Seinfeld. In the picture for "Civil War," a knight apologizes for beheading his opponent, while in "Good Grief," a man roars with laughter at the gravesite of someone named A. Dork. "Drag Race" shows pedestrians pulling souped-up cars, and "Industrial Park" pictures a fenced-in factory where a child tries to fly a kite. Agee shows the irony in such terms as "Down Escalator" and "Great Depression," and alerts readers of all ages to the many cliches of the English language. Not every one of these New Yorker-style cartoons is a hoot, but that's okay: surely Agee wouldn't want to start a laugh riot. Ages 9-up. (Sept.)
School Library Journal Gr 5 Up-This collection of oxymorons, illustrated with spirited black-and-white cartoons, offers readers a great way to understand the concepts while giving them a good laugh. Some of the ideas and illustrations are sophisticated, e.g., "permanent temp," "stiff drink," "Great Depression," but middle schoolers involved in the study of language and interested in the meaning of words will find this appealing title to be highly amusing.-Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA
Will Shortz Laugh-out-loud brilliant. -- The New York Times Abbott Combes . . .[An] instant classic. -- The New YorkTimes Book ReviewRead all 6 "From The Critics" > WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING With mad sense and fluid line, Jon Agee draws smartly about oxymorons, revealing the seriously funny logic of it all. . . — Jules Feiffer Jon Agee has another winner. His drawings are freer and funner than ever. — WIlliam Steig
|
