Sean Taylor (1) (1965–)

The little gorilla narrator of this engaging picture-book from British author/illustrator team Sean Taylor and David Barrow explains how his mother is taking him to the doctor for a shot. He mentions that his mother is always taking care of him - making him eat broccoli, dressing him in extra sweaters, and so on - and the implication is that he'd perhaps rather wish she didn't. At least, not so much! But when the gorilla leaves his scented tongue suppressor, given to him by the friendly show more doctor, on the bus, and his mother offers to take him back to the doctor to get another, his conclusion that she always takes care of him so much is more positive...

A sweet picture-book examination, both of visiting the doctor's office for a shot and of the mother-child bond, My Mom Always Looks After Me So Much! pairs a humorous and heartwarming tale with charming illustrations. Sean Taylor has a deft touch here, capturing his little gorilla narrator's feelings, first of frustration, at his mother's seeming overprotectiveness; then of trepidation, at getting his shot; and finally of contentment, at the knowledge that he is loved and well-cared for. The contradictory nature of these feelings is precisely the point: we value our parents' care for us, even when there are moments it feels stifling. The artwork, which looks like it might be done in watercolor (the colophon doesn't say), is lovely, beautifully capturing the gorilla mother and child, the many animal characters around them, and the background setting. Recommended to anyone looking for new children's stories about visiting the doctor and/or the maternal bond. show less

This book is the best. Hoot owl is an adorably determined character who doesn't let their failures get them down (I'm deliberately using a gender-neutral pronoun because hoot owl's gender is unspecified and therefore open to any reader's interpretation!).

Also, it's one of those rare noir picture books (like [b:I Want My Hat Back|11233988|I Want My Hat Back|Jon Klassen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327888784s/11233988.jpg|16160067] - read this if you don't see it). Hoot owl does a great show more noir-style narration throughout the book: "The shadowy night stretches away forever, as black as burnt toast," "I swoop through the bleak blackness like a wolf in the air." Slick af.

I also especially like kids books that don't sugarcoat the circle of life: "The lamb looks cuddly, but soon I will be eating it." Fair enough, hoot owl! Of course, our master-of-disguise is truly anything but, and their various (hilarious and adorable) costumes don't outwit their prey (so no animals are harmed in the reading of this book!)...until they start stalking a pizza. It is pepperoni. And it doesn't stand a chance against our crafty protagonist.

"I disappear into the dark enormousness of the night. I am gone. And the world can sleep again.
Until hoot owl returns." show less

The little monster in this sweet and spooky picture-book declares that he wants to be in a scary story, and won't listen to the narrator, who tells him that a funny story might be more fun. Back and forth the two go, the little monster becoming very afraid of the witches and spooks he meets, until it is revealed that what he really wants is to be the scary element of a scary story. It seems that this is not to be however, especially when he runs into a great ape, but sometimes appearances show more can be deceptive...

I enjoyed this meta-fictional picture-book romp from British author Sean Taylor and French illustrator Jean Jullien, who have also collaborated on Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise. The use of different colored ink - black for the narrator, and purple for the little monster - helps to differentiate the two voices in the story, while the bright, colorful artwork captures the sense of fun throughout. The surprise ending, in which the narrator is spooked by the monster, will leave young readers with a pleasant thrill. Recommended to anyone looking for spooky picture-books where the frights are of a gentle, humorous nature. show less

I could have sworn I had read and even reviewed this, but apparently not, as I am sure I couldn't have forgotten something so funny.

Beware night creatures! Hoot Owl is hungry and he is a master of disguise. Watch out small rabbit, here comes Hoot Owl disguised as a....carrot! Darn. Oh well, there are plenty of tasty creatures and plenty of excellent disguises. After all, Hoot Owl is a master! Maybe?

The silly twist at the end will make readers laugh out loud as Hoot Owl finally finds the show more perfect disguise and the perfect prey (SPOILER: It's a pizza). The big, bold illustrations, with Hoot Owl's staring eyes and very, very serious face add to the hilarity of the goofy story with just an edge of danger.

Verdict: A perfect read for a storytime, especially with a large group. This will touch off discussions of what owls eat as well as screams of laughter. Read it in a spooky, super-dramatic voice and it will make a mildly scary read for preschoolers as well. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780763675783; Published 2014 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium show less