Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Review: The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash


The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. 1980. 32 pgs. New York, NY: Dial Press. 9780140546231. Format examined: Hardcover.

Annotation:  A girl recounts her class’s disastrous field trip to a local farm to her mother.
Reaction: The unraveling chain of events, told in reverse chronological order initially, proves to be highly entertaining and drives the narrative forward in a highly descriptive, madcap way. The illustrations by Kellogg are highly detailed and playful, and convey everything from the joy in the pigs’ faces as they devour the school children’s lunches to the panic of the chickens as the boa is in the hen house.
Primary early literacy skills: Narrative skills.  The story has a driving plot, showing a chain of events, demonstrating cause and effect, all modeling effective narrative skills.
Recommended ages: Ages 3 and older.
Tags/themes: Snakes, pets, farms, schools, field trips.
Author site/additional titles: www.trinkahakesnoble.com
Illustrator site/additional titles: www.stevenkellogg.com

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