If I Only Had Thumbs: Polly Pig's Story

Gabany, S. ( ). If I Only Had Thumbs: Polly Pig's Story. Paducah, KY: NoName Publishing.

Children's Picture Book / Rhyming / Problem Solving

I gave this book 5 of 5 stars

In If I Only Had Thumbs: Polly Pig's Story, Steve Gabany and illustrator Arlene Berry have teamed up again to give readers a fun, funny, and thoughtful story. This time it's Polly Pig and her son, Piglet, who are going to Camp Laz-About but must get cleaned-up before they can join the other pigs on the bus.  Unfortunately, the shower faucet isn't designed for hooves, and as Polly struggles to get the water turned-on, she begins to worry that the bus is going to leave without them! What can she do? 

Through rich, gorgeous illustrations and playful rhyming, readers will enjoy seeing how Polly's dilemma is resolved. As with Chickee Chicken's story, help comes from a surprising source -- one who just happens to have thumbs -- who teaches Polly that despite the limitations of her own body, solutions and friendships are to be found if she just asks for help.  

"A friend is a very good thing for us all,

They'll help when we need them; we just have to call."

What's really wonderful about this book is that it's loads of fun to read. Arlene Berry's spectacular mixed-media artwork provides a bright and stimulating canvas covered with adorable characters. Steve Gabany's rhymes have a wonderful cadence and rhythm that move the story along and are sure to provide plenty of giggles. This is guaranteed to be a book kids will want to read again and again. 

I highly recommend this book for young ones up to first or second grade and further recommend purchasing the print version for the best experience - the pages are best viewed in full spread, so two pages are viewed seamlessly, side-by-side.  

Thank you to the author for providing me an eBook copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.

To learn more, follow author Steve Gabany on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads!

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RELATED:

The Deception Artist

Fox, F. (2015). The Deception Artist. Berkeley, CA: Roaring Forties Press.

Adult / Realistic Fiction / Fantasy (? Reader must decide)

I gave this book 5 of 5 Stars

It’s California in the 80s, and for eight-year-old Ivy, it seems like everyone – and everything – in her world is changing. Her big brother doesn’t want to play make-believe any more, she gains a stay-at-home dad in exchange for a working mom, and her forever best friend has decided Ivy is babyish and has moved on from their friendship.  As her world becomes more complicated, Ivy clings to her creativity and imagination for escape and sometimes finds the lines between what’s real and imagined are quite blurry.  In “The Deception Artist,” author Fayette Fox takes adult readers into the mind of a child whose keen observations and honest interpretations make for an engaging and often humorous story.

One aspect of “The Deception Artist” that is different from typical fiction is that rather than following a distinct plot line, readers experience a chunk of time in the life of Ivy – and it works. Though the title of the book might imply otherwise, Ivy is not the only one practicing deception; truly, she’s surrounded by models of deception ranging from people who tell little white lies to whoppers.  Insightful Ivy reminds readers that we are all playing pretend in one way or another, and she becomes fairly adept at evaluating when, why, and how she and others use lies.

Ivy’s impromptu alternative scenarios are clever, and humor is found not only in her playing make-believe, but in young Ivy’s naivete. She’s seen things on TV, after all, but not enough to be able to properly fill-in all the blanks, which allows for some real laugh out loud moments. At the same time, readers will find it painful to watch as Ivy’s friends and her brother outgrow Ivy’s imagination and force her to grow-up sooner than she wants.

The writing is very well done and author Fox manages to perfectly convey the tone of an eight-year-old without the book reading like a book for kids.  Ivy’s observations are keen, and readers will pick-up on the nuances of what is happening between the adults. Fox’s characters are richly written, with each being memorable and unique, but where Fox really shines is in the use of figurative language. To begin, Ivy assesses people and then associates them with a bug sharing the same characteristics, so in her internal dialogue, she talks about Stink Bug Tommy, Caleb the Moth, Caterpillar Christa, etc. The use of numerous stylistic devices gives readers very specific snapshots of Ivy’s life.  For example, when the bell rings signaling the end of recess, Ivy thinks, “Across the playground, kids stop playing and flow toward the classrooms like a dandelion puff in reverse.” Or when Ivy is fighting her orneriness, she says, “Staying good is like trying to stay full. It’s just a matter of time before you get hungry again.”

The only part of the book that left something to be desired was the side story of “The Artist.” Ivy’s escape into her own future is one of the most intriguing tangents of the book and will definitely pique readers’ curiosities, but the unclear direction it takes towards the end will likely frustrate them as well.  Despite this, I highly recommend “The Deception Artist” because the writing is beautiful and Ivy is hands-down one of the most memorable characters readers will experience in fiction.

This book was reviewed for Reader Views, which provided me a print ARC in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR on her WEBSITE, on FACEBOOK, or on  TWITTER