AND TO THINK THAT WE THOUGHT THAT WE'D NEVER BE FRIENDS
Mary Ann Hoberman, Author, Kevin Hawkes, Illustrator , illus. b
Inspired by Dr. Seuss's
Details
Reviewed on: 03/03/2003
Genre: Children's
- Amazon
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookshop
- IndieBound
- Share
- Tweet
- Copy Link
More By and About this Authorchevron_right
- YOU READ TO ME, I'LL READ TO YOUMary Ann HobermanJohn Ciardi's collection of 35 poems with drawings by Edward Gorey is perhaps the best known book with this title (published in 1962); it, too, used the concept of dividing a poem on the page, Continue reading »
- THE MARVELOUS MOUSE MANMary Ann HobermanIn a memorable picture-book debut recalling both the golden age of children's illustration and contemporary artists like Jim LaMarche, Forman contributes luminous, finely detailed Continue reading »
- THE LOOKING BOOK: A Hide-and-Seek Counting StoryMary Ann HobermanAs its title suggests, this jaunty picture book offers plenty of fun for eagle-eyed readers. When Ned's cat, Pistachio, goes missing, the boy embarks on a page-by-page search for his beloved Continue reading »
- RIGHT OUTSIDE MY WINDOWMary Ann HobermanWith two brief lines per page, Hoberman (The Marvelous Mouse Man) focuses on precise details associated with each season, while Wilton's (
Continue reading » - IT'S SIMPLE, SAID SIMONMary Ann HobermanA boy can growl like a dog and jump like a horse, but when a cunning tiger asks the lad to demonstrate his skills, he needs all his wits about him to wriggle out of becoming supper. "So's Continue reading »
- WHOSE GARDEN IS IT?Mary Ann HobermanAt the opening of this inviting, oversize picture-book tribute to the ecosystem known as a garden, Mrs. McGee and her stroller-bound companion happen upon a beautifully blooming flower and Continue reading »
- I'm Going to Grandma'sMary Ann HobermanWhy is this visit to Grandma's different from all other visits? Because the young pigtailed narrator is "not only going/ to stay for the day/ I'm going to stay/ for the night!" The Continue reading »
- Strawberry HillMary Ann HobermanIn this old-fashioned coming-of-age story, set during the Great Depression, 10-year-old Allie's father finds a new job, and her family moves to a street called Strawberry Hill. Poet and Continue reading »
- All Kinds of Families!Mary Ann HobermanHoberman's (A House Is a House for Me ) whimsical rhyming treatise on what constitutes a family will have children looking for myriad ways to use that Continue reading »
- The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and ImaginationMary Ann Hoberman, Linda Winston“Science and art have often been cast as opposites, but the division is an artificial one,” reads the introduction to this expansive collection of poems about the natural world. Continue reading »
- The Lady with the Alligator PurseMary Ann Hoberman, Nadine Bernard WestcottThe lady of nonsense-rhyme fame cures Tiny Tim of his mysterious ailment in this whimsically illustrated rendition. Ages 4-8. Continue reading »
- The Seven Silly EatersMary Ann HobermanOne needn't be a picky eater to revel in Hoberman's (A House Is a House for Me) deft and funny verse about a mother whose seven offspring each insist upon eating only his or her favorite food. Continue reading »
- Miss Mary MackMary Ann Hoberman, Marry Ann HobermanAnother song worth singing, Eric Carle's Today Is Monday, begins with string beans on Monday and spaghetti on Tuesday. Different animals eat their way through the week, teaching the names of the days Continue reading »
- Mary Had a Little LambMary Ann HobermanIn the latest book in the Sing-Along Stories series, Mary Had a Little Lamb, adapted by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Nadine Bernard Westcott, Mary and her classmates sneak the lamb into their Continue reading »
- You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read TogetherMary Ann HobermanConflict resolution seems the theme of You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Michael Emberley. As with this duo's first Continue reading »
- My Song Is BeautifulMary Ann Hoberman, HobermanThe 14 works in this outstanding multicultural anthology will introduce young readers to a generous range of artistic and literary styles. James Houston's transcription of an Eskimo chant, for Continue reading »
- The Cozy BookMary Ann Hoberman, Betty FraserSkillfully constructed rhymes and tender, tidily detailed watercolors point out to children all the ``cozy doings'' of ``a very cozy day,'' from the time ``you wake up bright and early/ In your Continue reading »
- I've Been Working on the Railroad:: I've Been Working on the Railroad: An American ClassicMary Ann Hoberman, Nadine Bernard Westcott, Nadine WescottMatched with perky illustrations, the spirited, on-the-job lyrics to this ever-popular American folk song serve as narrative to a lighthearted, contemporary train journey that pays homage to Continue reading »
- One of EachMary Ann Hoberman, Marjorie PricemanA proud and amiable pooch discovers there's some truth to the saying ""the more the merrier"" when he tires of being alone in his house filled with ""one of each thing."" The dog, named Oliver Continue reading »
- Miss Mary MackMary Ann Hoberman, Nadine Bernard Westcott, Marry Ann HobermanHands will be clapping and toes will be tapping to this spunky rendition of a favorite school yard rhyme. Most kids--and grown-ups, too--will readily recognize the first three stanzas of this comical Continue reading »
- The Eensy-Weensy SpiderMary Ann HobermanCapering caterpillars and blooming spring flowers ornament this bouncy reprise of a nursery standby. The book opens with musical stanzas for ""The Eensy-Weensy Spider,"" along with a diagram of hand Continue reading »
- The Two SilliesMary Ann HobermanIn measured, never forced verse, Hoberman's (A House Is a House for Me) flightyDor is it grounded?Dromp introduces Lilly, who wants a cat like her friend Sammy's. When he advises her to chop down Continue reading »
- The Cozy BookMary Ann HobermanPW praised the ""skillfully constructed rhymes and tender, tidily detailed watercolors"" that evoke one cozy day in this ""thoroughly childhood-affirming"" book. Ages 4-7. (Sept.) Continue reading »
- And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be FriendsMary Ann HobermanThis utopian tale begins with passing discord between siblings and progresses to a vision of world peace through an enormous parade. Inspired by Dr. Seuss's And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Continue reading »
- It's Simple, Said SimonMary Ann HobermanIn the tradition of clever heroes who outwit wily animals, this agreeable picture book features an unflappable hero who is anything but simple. When challenged by various animals, Simon can growl Continue reading »
- Sing-Along Songs: Three Books and Tape Set (the Lady with the Alligator Purse, Skip to My Lou, and Miss Mary Mack) [With Cassette]Mary Ann Hoberman, Nadine Bernard WestcottA trio of board books The Lady with the Alligator Purse; Miss Mary Mack and Skip to My Lou plus their words set to music make up the contents of Mary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott's Continue reading »
- Bill Grogan's GoatMary Ann HobermanMary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott team up for another rousing rendition of a popular children's chant, Bill Grogan's Goat. ""Bill Grogan's Goat Was feeling fine Ate three red shirts Continue reading »
- Mrs. O'Leary's CowMary Ann HobermanHoberman (I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly) takes off on another golden oldie, giving the ditty about a cow and the Chicago Fire an upbeat ending. The winking cow still knocks over Mrs. Continue reading »
- Mr. and Mrs. MuddleMary Ann HobermanWithout an ounce of sermonizing, this clever picture book in three chapters is a primer on compromise. Mr. and Mrs. Muddle, compatible in every other way, do not agree on cars. ``Mrs. Muddle liked Continue reading »
- A Fine Fat Pig, and Other Animal PoemsMary Ann Hoberman, Ann HobermanThe 14 poems in this sprightly collection are bursting with wordplay and foot-stomping rhythms that will give young readers new ways to appreciate familiar creatures. The snake is ``Perfectly moving Continue reading »
- There Once Was a Man Named Michael FinneganMary Ann HobermanSeveral books invite youngsters to join in the fun. There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan, adapted by Mary Ann Hoberman, illus. by Nadine Bernard Westcott, is a silly song that instructs young Continue reading »
- Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by HeartMary Ann HobermanFormer children?s poet laureate Hoberman compiles a broad range of poems for young readers?brief enough to invite memorization?from writers including Frost, Silverstein, Sandburg, Milne, and Grimes, Continue reading »
- I Like Old ClothesMary Ann Hoberman?I like old clothes,/ Hand-me-down clothes,/ Worn outgrown clothes,/ Not my own clothes.? Former U.S. children?s poet laureate Hoberman?s poem, first published in 1976, holds up nicely; families are Continue reading »
- DIAL-A-GHOSTEva IbbotsonOnce again, Ibbotson (Which Witch; Island of the Aunts) dishes up an irresistible brew of magical high jinks and adventure in Continue reading »
- A CHRISTMAS TREASURY: Very Merry Stories and PoemsVariousThe reflected glow of firelight flickers through the illustrations in this collection of traditional carols and tales (including a passage from The Wind in the Continue reading »
- HANDEL (WHO KNEW WHAT HE LIKED)M. T. AndersonIn this wittily irreverent picture-book biography, the legendary baroque composer is vividly brought to life. "You'd have to be sure of yourself to wear a wig that gigantic," the Continue reading »
- ISLAND OF THE AUNTSEva IbbotsonThree aging aunts who need help caring for their magical animals resort to kidnapping suitable candidates. PW wrote, "The author's exquisite sense of Continue reading »
- JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEAEva IbbotsonIbbotson (Island of the Aunts) offers another larger-than-life adventure featuring lovable heroes and heroines, nasty villains, much hilarity and a deliciously Continue reading »
- I WAS A RAT!Philip Pullman. For this twist on Cinderella, "Pullman provides poignant insight into a well-known fairy tale and insinuates its implications for today's readers," said Continue reading »
- WESLANDIAPaul FleischmanA young nonconformist invents a self-sufficient civilization in his suburban backyard. "Words and images fluidly play off one another as Wesley creates a language for his new produce and the Continue reading »
- MARVEN OF THE GREAT NORTH WOODSKathryn LaskyDuring a 1918 winter flu epidemic, a 10-year-old is dispatched from home to a logging camp where he will be safe. "Thanks to Lasky's considerable command of language and narrative detail, Continue reading »
- Bill GrossmanBill GrossmanIn this collection of short verses about characters with silly names who meet equally silly fates, "the happy combination of wildly exaggerated illustrations and cracked humor make this a Continue reading »
- THE MAN WHO MADE TIME TRAVELKathryn LaskyLasky and Hawkes (previously teamed for The Librarian Who Measured the Earth) turn their attention to John Harrison, the 18th-century British clockmaker who Continue reading »
- NOT JUST A WITCHEva IbbotsonThe author of Dial-a-Ghost and Which Witch? conjures more rib-tickling entertainment in this fantasy featuring a witch bent Continue reading »
- THE WORRY WEEKAnne Morrow LindberghWhen three sisters coerce their parents into leaving them alone on a Maine island for a week, their ensuing misadventures make for what PW called "an Continue reading »
- SIDEWALK CIRCUSPaul FleischmanIn a new direction for the team behind Weslandia, Hawkes provides studied, atmospheric paintings to go with Fleisch-man's wistful, nearly wordless story. In Continue reading »
- MY LITTLE SISTER HUGGED AN APEBill GrossmanThe creators of My Little Sister Ate One Hare here turn their attention from counting to the alphabet, echoing the playfully off-color humor of that earlier Continue reading »
- HANDEL, WHO KNEW WHAT HE LIKEDM. T. Anderson"In this irreverent picture-book biography, the legendary baroque composer is vividly brought to life," wrote PW in a starred review. "These gifted Continue reading »
- THE STAR OF KAZANEva IbbotsonAlthough there are no ghosts at large, this fairytale-like novel set in Vienna during Franz Joseph's reign features the same unique blend of bigger-than-life adventure, sparkling wit and Continue reading »
- GRANITE BABYLynne BertrandWild, rollicking, and boopsie-cute, this tall tale scampers over the granite hilltops of New Hampshire without a misstep. When Jade, Em, Golda, Ruby and Beryl, five Amazon-scaled, colossally Continue reading »
- The Beasts of Clawstone CastleEva IbbotsonThere's more spooky hilarity in store for fans of Ibbotson's previous ghost stories (Dial-a-Ghost ; The Great Ghost Continue reading »
- Library LionMichelle KnudsenThe library's no place for a real live lion. But what if it was a book-loving beast that followed all the library rules, enforced by head librarian Miss Merriweather? Well, that's a Continue reading »
- When Giants Come to PlayAndrea BeatyHere, as in his artwork for Lynne Bertrand's Granite Baby , Hawkes proves that when it comes to giant tales, he's a supersize talent. Young Anna imagines Continue reading »
- Velma Gratch and the Way Cool ButterflyAlan MadisonAt the center of Madison’s (The Littlest Grape Stomper ) picture book is first-grader Velma Gratch; despite her round eyeglasses and bushy red pigtails, Continue reading »
- The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphsin the Life of L. Frank BaumKathleen KrullKrull (Hillary Rodham Clinton ) turns to the frequently failing but resilient man behind the 1900 classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Continue reading »
- Chicken CheeksMichael Ian BlackA bear's inspired idea to create a tower of animals in order to reach some honey is all the premise that Hawkes (Library Lion ) and debut author Black need Continue reading »
- A Pig Parade Is a Terrible IdeaMichael Ian BlackBlack's pitch-perfect porcine parody sets off at a brisk pace. "Like most children, you have probably thought to yourself at one time or another, I bet a pig parade would be a lot of fun." Hawkes Continue reading »
- The Librarian Who Measured the EarthKevin Hawkes, Kathryn LaskyNewbery Honor author Lasky (Sugaring Time) deserves high marks for her attempt to present formal mathematical concepts in a picture-book format. The result, however, is a somewhat uneven amalgam of Continue reading »
- My Little Sister Ate One HareBill GrossmanA girl eats snakes, ants and other creatures but peas make her nauseous. PW said, ""For those who are not quick to get queasy, enjoying this feast will surely be easy."" Ages 4-8. Continue reading »
- WeslandiaPaul FleischmanThis fantastical picture book, like its hero, is bursting at the seams with creativity. Wesley's imagination sets him apart; not only does he sport purple sneakers and glasses, he thinks football is Continue reading »
- I Was a Rat!Philip PullmanThe latest offering from Pullman (The Golden Compass; Count Karlstein) is a witty romp with fairy-tale roots. ""I was a rat!"" claims the boy in a tattered page's uniform who appears at the door of a Continue reading »
- The TurnipWalter de La MareIn a starred review, PW said, ""The lowly turnip proves far more valuable than jewels in this Grimm fairy tale. With bold, expressive paintings, Hawkes magnificently captures the parody and irony of Continue reading »
- The Great Ghost RescueEva IbbotsonFans of Dial-A-Ghost will eagerly welcome the new flock of floating phantoms in The Great Ghost Rescue, Eva Ibbotson's wry companion novel, illus. by Kevin Hawkes. The ghosts' housing shortage Continue reading »
- TurnipWalter de La MareThe lowly turnip proves far more valuable than jewels in this Grimm fairy tale, elegantly refashioned by poet de la Mare in 1927. As repayment for providing a modest meal to a traveler, a poor, Continue reading »
- DreamlandRoni SchotterTheo and his Uncle Gurney are very much alike: they have dreams and they have imagination. While measuring, cutting and sewing at the family tailoring business, Gurney is making plans to move out Continue reading »
- My Little Sister Ate One HareBill GrossmanIn this zany, cumulative counting book, the narrator's ravenous sister devours--and manages to keep down--some decidedly unorthodox delicacies: ""My little sister ate 3 ants./ She even ate their Continue reading »
- Marven of the Great North WoodsKathryn LaskyDuring the 1918 winter flu epidemic in Duluth, Minn., 10-year-old Marven is dispatched from home to a north country logging camp where he will be safe. Five hours after leaving his family on the Continue reading »
- My Friend the PianoCatherine CowanFor this fantasy adventure of a musical instrument with a will of its own, Cowan (My Life with the Wave) taps into the classic experience of learning to play the piano, to the whimsical accompaniment Continue reading »
- The Poombam of BadoombahDee LillegardThis tale's lavish imagery, borrowed from ""The 1,001 Nights"" and ""Aladdin,"" may lure devotees of Eastern exoticism, but the plot, unfortunately, fizzles like a dud firecracker. Lillegard (The Continue reading »
- And to Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be FriendsMary Ann HobermanThis utopian tale begins with passing discord between siblings and progresses to a vision of world peace through an enormous parade. Inspired by Dr. Seuss's And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Continue reading »
- Jason's BearsMarion Dane BauerA bear fan from the word go, Jason's delight in all things ursine deflates when his older brother begins to turn his beloved bears into frightful apparitions. ""The bear in the corner of the basement Continue reading »
- Timothy Tunny Swallowed a BunnyBill GrossmanGrossman and Hawkes, the team behind My Little Sister Ate One Hare, serve up a collection of short verses about characters with silly names who meet equally silly fates, including the titular Continue reading »
- A Necklace of Raindrops: And Other StoriesJoan AikenAiken's 1968 collection of eight tales, A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories, infused with magic (such as flying carpets, an oversize cat and a house that rests ""on one leg"") returns with Continue reading »
- Lady BugattiJoyce Maxner``Bupji Beetle, Dragonia Fly, Anatole Ant, Madame Flutterby, Bumbly Bee and you and I'' are the guests of Lady Bugatti for an elegant dinner and evening at the theater. As the overture is about to Continue reading »
- Lady BugattiJoyce MaxnerElegant and sophisticated artwork rendered in particularly vivid hues adorns these odd, somewhat overblown verses about a chic bug-about-town and her insect retinue. Ages 3-8. Continue reading »
- The Enormous SnoreM. L. MillerMiller's (Those Bottles!) nimble peasant-saves-the-kingdom tale provides an ideal canvas for Hawkes's (Then the Troll Heard the Squeak) loony humor and skewed artwork in this jolly outing. Separated Continue reading »
- The NoseNikolai Vasil'evich Gogol, Catherine CowanThe bowed perspectives and exaggerated facial features that distinguish Hawkes's (Then the Troll Heard the Squeak) paintings lend a refreshing waggishness to Gogol's classic satire. The artist carves Continue reading »
- Painting the WindKevin Hawkes, Michelle DionettiClaudine, the daughter of Vincent van Gogh's charwoman, is the only person in Arles who finds the artist and his work exciting rather than threatening. She dreams of becoming an artist herself, and, Continue reading »
- Boogie BonesElizabeth LoredoBoogie Bones, the best skeleton dancer of all, practices his jitterbug in a misty, moonlit cemetery. Although he and his clattering cohorts are ""a bit frightened of people, who [have] no bones about Continue reading »
- Imagine That! Poems of Never-WasJack PrelutskyMove over, unicorn, dodo and bigfoot--here comes a circusful of imaginary creatures showing off their tricks. Playing ringleader, Prelutsky (A Pizza the Size of the Sun) assembles some 50 Continue reading »
- The Haunting of Granite FallsEva IbbotsonReaders reunite with favorite characters in summer sequels. As in Dial-a-Ghost and The Great Ghost Rescue, The Haunting of Granite Farm by Eva Ibbotson, illus. by Kevin Hawkes, revolves around Continue reading »
- The Great Ghost RescueEva Ibbotson""Fans of Dial-A-Ghost will eagerly welcome this new flock of floating phantoms,"" according to PW. ""The ghost's housing shortage continues, and human hero Rick wants the British government to do Continue reading »
- A Little Bitty Man and Other Poems for the Very YoungHalfdan Wedel RasmussenDelivered with a nursery rhyme lilt, this collection of poems from the late Rasmussen is characterized by a whimsical and gently irreverent perspective. "You can pat my goldfish's hair/ for an apple/ Continue reading »
- Just Behave, Pablo Picasso!Jonah WinterWinter (Barack) resists the ?good for you? air of some picture-book biographies in this dynamic reimagining of Picasso?s rocket trip to the top of the 20th-century art world, while Hawkes (The Wicked Continue reading »
- Santa from CincinnatiJudi BarrettEveryone knows Santa lives at the North Pole, but readers may be surprised to discover that Santa was born and raised in Cincinnati. In this clever picture book memoir, Santa looks back at his early Continue reading »
- Meanwhile, Back at the RanchAnne IsaacsIsaacs (Swamp Angel) teams with Hawkes (The Wicked Big Toddlah) on this Texas humdinger about a wealthy widow and the men vying for her hand. The tall tale opens with a disclaimer (in Texas, ?all Continue reading »
- Remy and LuluKevin HawkesPerhaps as a hat tip to their own collaboration?Harrison was once Hawkes?s intern?Hawkes (Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch) tells a story about two fictional artists who work together. Lovable, Continue reading »
- The Three Mouths of Little Tom DrumNancy WillardLittle Tom Drum?s mother scolds him the night before his birthday party when he begs for another slice of strawberry pie: ?Have you three mouths?? When he sneaks downstairs for more and gets caught, Continue reading »
- Have a Look, Says Book.Kevin Hawkes, Richard JacksonA giant book and a larger-than-life armchair invite a father and daughter to read with them: ?Hello there, says Chair. Have a look, says Book.? (The line shows up just in time to do double duty on Continue reading »
- Newton?s Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young ScientistKathryn LaskyLasky and Hawkes, collaborators on The Man Who Made Time Travel and other titles, provide a sensitive look at Isaac Newton. From an early age, Newton?s deep curiosity set him apart, leading Continue reading »
- Dogosaurus RexAnna StaniszewskiThe smartest person in this delightfully mischievous story is the reader: he or she will instantly know that Sadie, Ben?s new shelter pet, isn?t a dog but an enormous green Tyrannosaurus rex. To all Continue reading »
- Imagine That! How Dr. Seuss Wrote The Cat in the HatJudy Sierra?1954 was a great year to be a kid, unless you were trying to learn how to read,? quips Sierra in this look at how Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, endeavored to create a beginning reader ?so exciting Continue reading »
- There?s a Dinosaur on the 13th FloorWade BradfordBulbous-nosed musician Mr. Snore stifles a yawn as he checks into the posh Sharemore Hotel in this droll story by Bradford (Around the World in a Bathtub). When the bellhop escorts him to a Continue reading »
Featured Children's Reviews
How You Grow Wings
Rimma Onoseta
Onoseta’s devastatingly vulnerable debut, told nonlinearly in two teen Nigerian girls’ dual perspectives, portrays a tempestuous sisterhood amid colorism, familial trauma, and Continue reading »
Tumble
Celia C Pérez
Humor and heartfelt emotion reign supreme in a quirky narrative that centers the importance of family, blood or blended. Twelve-year-old Adela Ramírez, who’s of Mexican descent, Continue reading »
Sal Boat (A Boat by Sal)
Thyra Heder
“Sal loved the water. He liked to imagine it moving under his feet.” With junk from his mother’s garage and pickings from local businesses, he starts building. In the family’s Continue reading »
Rick the Rock of Room 214
Julie Falatko
Rick, a lumpy gray rock with googly eyes and a sweet smile, has been sitting on Room 214’s Nature Finds shelf “for as long as he can remember” while on-the-move human students, Continue reading »
chevron_right
