By Robert Neubecker
Balzer + Bray, $14.99, 32 pages
What are little boys made of? In this modern retelling of the 19th century nursery rhyme, boys are made of much more than “frogs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails.” Trapped inside on a rainy day, Neubecker’s little boy uses his imagination and a few toy props to become an astronaut in deep space, an explorer in a wild jungle, a pirate on the prow of his ship, the star of an intense soccer match and a knight on the back of a fierce dragon. Frogs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails are too sedate for this energetic little boy. He’s made of “blast and boom and uppity zoom!”
“What are little boys made of… A kiss and a hug, a snuggle and LOVE.”
The book’s illustrations are as energetic and vibrant as the protagonist. Neubecker presents his imaginary journeys on two-page spreads that teem with life. The animals in the jungle bare their teeth at the reader; the pirates on the ship swing and shout and wave their swords. The reader feels the motion and the excitement. The book ends when the little boy shares a snack with his mother and then snuggles in to read a book with her. Neubecker’s little boy is made of “a kiss and a hug, a snuggle and LOVE.”
Reviewed by Tammy McCartney
