Arthur Yorinks

When Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks, and Matthew Reinhart collaborate, what do you get?! One of the most uniquely humorous and slightly off picture books you may ever find. In this macabre rendition of “Are you my mommy?”, a young boy, reminiscent of Sendak’s boy in “Where the Wild Things Are”, searches room after room desperately calling out “Mommy”, only to be greeted by various monsters and ghouls. The illustrations are distinctively Sendak’s while the paper engineering show more can be non- other than Reinharts. The intricate pop-ups coupled with the gently frightful illustrations makes for a fun romp during the Halloween season, or anytime you’re in the mood for a scare! ***I just can't wait until a patron finds the topless woman on the "mummy" page! show less

"One day last spring," begins this delightfully surreal picture-book from Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski - the author/illustrator team also responsible for the Caldecott Medal-winning Hey, Al - "Louis, a butcher, turned into a fish. Silvery scales. Big lips. A tail. A salmon." This Kafkaesque opening is quickly followed by a flashback to Louis' youth, offering an explanation of how a man who hated meat (but loved fish) became a butcher (answer: family tradition). Louis' growing show more unhappiness begins to manifest itself in both his waking and sleeping life, as he begins to imagine that his customers are fish, and dreams that assorted meat products are chasing him down and beating him. It's only a matter of time before he wakes up, ala the opening of the book, in piscine form...

OK, this book just cracked me up! A man wakes up as a fish! He has a dream in which steak, sausages, pork chops and meatballs chase him down, and beat him with bats! He rides the subway (as a fish!), and ends up living happily in a fishbowl! It's an interpretive bonanza here folks - one that should appeal to everyone from the vegetarian/vegan crew to the psychoanalytic crowd (when is a steak just a steak?). Haha! I can't even write this review with a straight face (or refrain from abusing exclamation points)! The text may be surreal, but it also works, as a story, and the artwork is just fabulous! Best of all, the two work seamlessly together! If you appreciate the bizarre, have an offbeat sense of humor, or just like unusual picture-books, track down a copy of Louis the Fish - it's a real blast! show less

Produce vendor Sy Kravitz was a kind and considerate man, one who believed wholeheartedly in the potential of fruit and vegetables to heal many ailments. But then he inexplicably began to become invisible, and eventually found himself shunned by his previously friendly customers. Lonely, and alienated from society at large, Sy started to do naughty things, like slipping into movies for free. Eventually his misdeeds began to attract notice, and he began to be blamed for every misfortune, show more accident, and crime. A stint in jail - for crimes he did not commit - did little to solve his problems. Would Sy ever become visible again...?

Apparently inspired by the classic H.G. Wells novel of the same name, Arthur Yorinks' The Invisible Man offers a gentler version of that tale, and displays many of the surreal story qualities I have come to associate with this children's author's work. Having enjoyed such picture-books as Hey, Al and Louis the Fish, I had high expectations of this one, and they were not disappointed. There is a sharp quality to some of the developments here - the fact that Sy is imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, for instance, or that he is shunned for his difference - and the result is a poignant tale with no real "message," save that strange things can happen, that we aren't always in control, and that sometimes all we can do is try to survive. The accompanying cartoon-style artwork by Doug Cushman is engaging, and accentuates the humor of the story, lightening what would otherwise be a rather sad book. Recommended to fans of Arthur Yorinks' surrealist storytelling, or to those looking for children's stories inspired by adult classics. show less

A funny, slightly dark (in a good way!) book following the adventures of a grumpy any and a happy go lucky fly. Personality conflict drives the story and a reluctant friendship may or may not be born for the situations the two find themselves in. This was a delightful book with excellent artwork and fun dialog. It is a great book to read aloud. While the lesson of treating others as you would be treated might get a little lost in the mix, it is prevalent enough that readers will take away show more some meaning. They will be entertained regardless. show less