A Perfectly Messed-Up Story
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
In this interactive and engaging read-aloud, bestselling author and award-winning artist and creator of the MUTTS comic Patrick McDonnell creates a funny, engaging, and almost perfect story about embracing life's messes.
★ "Brilliant.... A playful, funny, and friendly treatment of anxiety and life's unpredictable messes." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Little Louie's story keeps getting messed up, and he's not happy about it! What's the point of telling his tale if he can't tell it perfectly? But when he stops and takes a deep breath, he realizes that everything is actually just fine, and his story is a good one--imperfections and all.
Caldecott Honoree and creator of the beloved comic strip MUTTS Patrick McDonnell uses his signature gentle touch to remind young readers that it’s okay to make mistakes, that real life isn’t perfect—and that “imperfect” doesn’t mean “worse.”
Don't miss these other picture books by Patrick McDonnell:
Me…Jane
The Gift of Nothing
The Gift of Everything
Art
Hug Time
Tek
The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)
A Perfectly Messed-Up Story
The Monsters’ Monster
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Louie, one of McDonnell's adorable button-nosed creatures, is in the middle of his own story, singing happily when he notices some jelly on the pages. It's not just a drawing the photographic blob looks very real, as if readers had spilled jelly on their own book. Then a splotch of peanut butter lands on Louie's head. "My story is getting all messed up!" he cries. A flurry of fingerprints, a splash of orange juice, and crayon scribbles soon follow. "This is the worst thing ever!" Louie wails, arms flailing wildly. The official-looking narration that starts and restarts as the book progresses ("This is Louie's story") turns out to be a kind of coach, an objective voice that urges Louie to take the long view. "I'm still here," he concludes. "You're still reading. And it is a pretty good story, messes and all." Louie's exaggerated reactions to the growing mess will trigger laughs with every page turn. Yet McDonnell (The Monster's Monster) excels at reminding his characters and readers that it's possible to keep it together even when life has jelly all over it. Ages 3 6.
