Runny Babbit Returns: Another Billy Sook - Hardcover

Silverstein, Shel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062479393 ISBN 13: 9780062479396

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2017

Synopsis

An Amazon Best Book of 2017 * A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017 * A NCTE 2018 Notable Poetry Book

Runny Babbit, the lovable star of Shel Silverstein’s New York Times bestselling poetry book, is back in this instant New York Times bestseller!

Runny Babbit Returns, a collection of 41 never-before-published poems and drawings, features Runny and other woodland characters who speak a topsy-turvy language all their own.

This carefully compiled work from the Silverstein archives is filled with spoonerism poems that are both playful and poignant. With tongue-twisting word play and uproarious characters, the endearingly befuddled Runny Babbit and his friends embody Shel Silverstein’s singular style, the one we all know and love. 

Fans of all ages won’t want to miss their chance to follow their favorite Runny in this New York Times bestseller of laugh-out-loud adventures!

About this title

About the Author

Shel Silverstein 's incomparable career as a bestselling children's book author and illustrator began with Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. He is also the creator of picture books including A Giraffe and a Half, Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and the perennial favorite The Giving Tree, as well as classic poetry collections such as Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Every Thing On It, Don't Bump the Glump!, and Runny Babbit.

From the Back Cover

Way down in the green woods

Where the animals all play,

They do things and they say things

In a different sort of way—

Instead of sayin’ “purple hat,”

They all say “hurple pat.”

Instead of sayin’ “feed the cat,”

They just say “ceed the fat.”…

Return to the topsy-turvy world of Runny Babbit and friends in another billy sook by the celebrated creator of The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Runny Babbit, and many more.

Reviews

Gr 1–4–Eighteen years after the author's death and 12 years after the publication of the first collection of Runny Babbit spoonerisms, a new book of 41 "completed but unpublished works" has surfaced from Silverstein's archive. In this volume, Runny Babbit makes discoveries, enjoys himself, and finds his way out of more than a few scrapes. Each situation becomes wackier and more entertaining with the transposed first parts of words and syllables that create the spoonerisms: "Runny porgot his farachute/And plumped out of a jane./He landed right on Doc Ocrile/Who was randin' in the stain." Well-chosen words come together to form lines with natural rhythm and punch as well as endless opportunities for amusement. In one verse, a dragon tells Runny, "If I'm inpited to your varty,/then I'll fart your stire for you.'" The distinctive line illustrations provide not only more humor but also lovable personalities to wide-eyed Runny and the other characters he interacts with on the page. Readers can choose to dip in and out of this book, or, if they have real stamina for silliness, they can plow straight through. The volume ends as all great days do, with Ramma Mabbit reading stories like "Dumpty Humpty" and "Loldigocks and the Bee Threars" and a final good night poem to Runny Babbit "and all his foodland wriends." VERDICT A new Silverstein title is a welcome addition to all poetry shelves, and this one offers plenty of joy and laughter to those who read or listen to it read aloud.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062479393
• ISBN 13: 9780062479396
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Silverstein Shel
• Number of pages: 96