Animals Scare Me Stiff - Softcover

Cole, Babette

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099404974 ISBN 13: 9780099404972

Publisher: Red Fox, 2003

Synopsis

Like many little boys, Tom has a vivid imagination, but it sometimes runs so wild that even the tiniest things terrify him. He imagines all manner of horrors, from being eaten by a dog and squeezed to death by a snake, to spiders crawling up his nose and birds pecking off his ears. But Tom has the scariest secret weapon of all . . .

About this title

Review:

Babette Cole strikes again with a thrilling take on a child's fear of a host of animals ranging from the tiniest bugs to a slithering snake.

Tom is minding his own business when he suddenly realises he is being followed by a dog (which is actually very small, but in Tom's mind he turns into a huge, man-eating dog). Then a horse suddenly appears, followed by a scary bull... and so it goes, until Tom finds exactly the right way to frighten off the animals who have been scaring him stiff (no, that would be telling!) and realises that they are all actually far more afraid of him than he is of them.

A typical childhood fear is given the Cole treatment, with her distinctive illustration combining with a simple yet totally pertinent text that gradually heightens the tension until the breathlessly funny pay-off.

Fantastic stuff from an illustrator who is never afraid to pack a punch, Animals Scare Me Stiff is cracking stuff. (Age 3 and over) --Susan Harrison

Review:

"Hilariously rude and gets to the bottom of self-defence in a disgustingly unorthodox manner" (Independent on Sunday)

"Typically outrageous and funny story about animal phobias, and a little boy who finds an unusual way of dealing with his fear" (Junior)

About this edition

• Publisher: Red Fox
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0099404974
• ISBN 13: 9780099404972
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 24