No, No, Jack!

Jack the dog is an unintentional troublemaker as his game of hiding items, such as slippers and the baby's diapers, causes the family to have to go on a daily hunt to locate the missing goods, in an amusing tale with full-color illustrations.

PreSchool-K-Jack, a dog, hides things in closets, much to his family's amusement. He is told to put back the baby's diaper, a paintbrush, and a pail, among other things. However, he is allowed to keep the last item he brings in, a stray kitten. The story is told in a staccato rhythm that's perfect for storytime. The closet is ingeniously created as a flap on the right edge that can be lifted to answer a question that appears on each page. For instance, "Mommy can't put up the picture. What does she need?" Inside the closet, readers see hanging clothes, a broom, and a hammer. The acrylic paints have brilliant colors with interesting, soft-edged images. Because the book is not very large, it is best shared one-on-one or with small groups.
Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

No, No, Jack! by Ron Hirsch, illus. by Pierre Pratt, follows a prankish pup hiding household items. Humorous full-bleed illustrations and brief text give a clue to readers ("This sand needs to go back in the sandbox, Andy. What can we use?") before they open the fold-out door to find the missing item (a pail).
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 3-6. Here's a friendly open-the-flap book that can serve as a guessing game for little ones. Each day family members ask Jack the dog, "What did you put in the closet today, Jack?" Open the closet door, and there's a teddy bear or one yellow boot. To complicate matters, once the door is opened, Jack runs away with whatever he has put in the closet. He's also smart enough to go into the closet and run away with precisely what someone is looking for. But when Jack brings a stray kitten home, he puts her in the closet and stays with her, so the next time the family opens the closet, what they find is Jack and the kitten. The simple story is given sophistication by thickly colored artwork that features a family drawn with a sensibility that seems from an earlier era but is also amusingly today. Jack, looking like a Jack Russell terrier who has been eating a little too well, is a charmer. Ilene Cooper
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