Lane Smith

Human kids will understand where little green, freckle-faced Henry P. Baloney is coming from. He’s late again, and is sure to serve detention forever if he can’t come up with a good excuse for his teacher as to why he’s late again. Words Henry uses sound truly alien, but there’s enough context to figure out their meaning — and a funny surprise waiting at book’s end.

Edward, a giraffe, is ashamed of his long neck until he meets Cyrus, a tortoise who laments he has no neck. This hilarious tale of animals unhappy with their features (and very relatable!) is cleverly told through formal language coupled with well-placed, textured illustrations. 

As a gift from his magician uncle, Joe receives The Book setting into motion a series of humorous time travel adventures. Joe and his friends, Fred and Sam, travel to King Arthur’s England where they meet dragons, knights, and more in this first Time Warp Trio trip. Smith’s black/white illustrations punctuate the action in this fast-paced tale.

The narrator’s curse begins when she is told by her math teacher that math is all around. And so it is — including every part of this very funny book as it examines math and its functions. Text and illustration are seamlessly one allowing the book to be appreciated on several levels.

A dour little penguin has problems. He doesn’t like snow (it’s too bright). He can’t fly. And he’s hungry. A wise walrus reminds him of the beauty all around … but does this appease the penguin? Understated humor in simple, textured illustrations and the penguin’s narration create a sophisticated and very funny book.

Princess Hyacinth has a truly unique problem. If she doesn’t wear additional weights, she’ll float off to who knows where! One day, the princess, however, takes off — literally — on her own but is rescued in an innovative way. Comic illustrations combine with an understated text for a very funny and very satisfying resolution.

This boy’s curse begins when his teacher suggests that the “poetry of science” can be heard everywhere. From Moore to Frost, familiar poems are parodied and turned into science verse. Again art and illustration are inseparable as are the laughs in this offbeat look at science.

Scieszka and Smith set sights on creating fresh fables — short traditional tales intended to teach a moral lesson. With humorous twists and take-offs, new, different and wacky fables are presented for readers’ edification and amusement.

The incomparable author and illustrator team retells traditional tales such as the “Gingerbread Man” and the “Little Red Hen” in inventive and hilarious ways, sure to make readers familiar with the originals laugh out loud. Even the traditional format of the book is changed to suit the absurdity of the new versions, for a memorable reading experience.