Animals Scare Me Stiff (A Tom Maschler book) - Hardcover

Cole, Babette

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0224047078 ISBN 13: 9780224047074

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 2000

Synopsis

Tom is being followed by a dog...a horse...a bull...a snake...terrible birds...spiders...He imagines vividly what each will do to him when they catch him - in fright he sinks to the ground, inadvertently landing on an ant's nest. Ants in his pants! As usual, Babette Cole gives a hilariously zany look at a common childhood dilemma.

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:

"A 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: Jonathan Cape Ltd
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0224047078
• ISBN 13: 9780224047074
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40