Anything but a Grabooberry by Anushka Ravishankar, illustrated by Rathna Ramanathan

I've been reading all of Anushka Ravishankar's picturebooks recently, and I found this one different than the others.

My favorites of her stories are those illustrated by Pulak Biswas, which involve strong rhymes, cheerful humor, and interactive sounds and questioning. However, this nonsense book is a celebration of graphic art as expressed in words - big words, little words, and clever shapes, a kind of book-length concrete poem, although the shaped words only sometimes form pictures.

Younger children will giggle over the silly rhymes "I want to be a beehive/hanging on a tree/or a bee or a pea/or a cup of tea. Older children who can recognize words will be fascinating by the shapes they create.

Verdict: An additional purchase if you like wordplay or have patrons who enjoy it


ISBN: 978-8186211434; Published September 2004 by Tara; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library