Imogene's Antlers

"On Thursday, when Imogene woke up, she found she had grown antlers. Getting dressed was difficult, and going through a door now took some thinking..." And so begins this delightfully comic picture-book masterpiece from David Small, first published in 1985, and featured in that classic children's television program, Reading Rainbow. Imogene navigates her house and her day, meeting each new challenge created by her unusual appendages with aplomb, and enjoying some of the unexpected benefits - like being a walking bird-feeder! - that they provide. When Friday comes, the antlers have disappeared... but a new surprise is in store!

I have loved Imogene's Antlers from the day I first picked it up, while working in the children's section of a show more bookstore as a young woman (somehow I missed it, as a little girl), and always get a kick out of the dry, understated humor of David Small's narrative and artwork. The image in which Imogene gets caught on the chandelier, after sliding down the bannisters, is just hilarious! Rereading it today on my morning commute, I shared it with a new mother, who (naturally) found it adorable, but also commented: "Imogene has lots of servants!" Which is quite true, and something I'd not noticed before. But while some of the details of setting and character here are rather old-fashioned - Imogene's mother is constantly fainting, the doctor makes house-calls, the concerned family call in a milliner(!) - the end-result feels fresh and contemporary, for all that. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a little bit of absurdist humor in their picture-book! show less

This is a charming book in which Imogene is completely unfazed by the antlers that show up on her head one morning. She goes unflappably through her day, making the best of her new feature (it doubles as a drying rack! and a chandelier!) and letting any mockery and incomprehension roll right off her back.

On a more adult note, this is a great book to take to a friend who's spending some time on a locked ward, especially if her family isn't taking the news very well.

Imogene wakes up one morning with antlers. She is unfazed, but her mother "faints away." The doctor is puzzled, the headmaster unhappy, but the cook in the kitchen is pleased to have a drying rack for her towels, and sends Imogene out into the garden to give doughnuts to the birds. The next morning, Imogene's mother is delighted to see that the antlers have disappeared...but now Imogene has a peacock tail!

My all time favorite "reading rainbow" book. I have always loved the story and the message behind it and the illustrations only serve to elevate the tale. make sure you look at the final illustration in the 'tale" as it hints at more trouble to come.

Imogene wakes up one morning and discovers she has grown antlers overnight. As one might imagine, this causes some difficulties. Her family reacts in a variety of ways, and work on a solution to the perceived problem.

Delightful, and funny, with plenty of amusing detail in the background of each illustration.

A young girl named Imogene wakes up one morning to discover that she has sprouted antlers out of her head and the rest of the book involves all the funny inconveniences that result from having antlers. I liked this book because the illustrations add so much amusement to the already imaginative story and I would use it in my teaching to grab students attention. Imogene's Antlers is suitable for Grades K-4 and would work very well with themes of the fantastic in books, as well as when teaching how writers and illustrators use humor to engage their readers.

Imogene woke up one day with antlers. Happens to the best of us, right?

Well, this does cause a few problems, but she adapts readily. Sure, her mother may faint and her principal may glare, but antlers! You can put doughnuts on them for the birds, and candles to light the room.

The problem goes away as quickly and mysteriously as it came (this is no Bad Case of Stripes), but it's met with a new one - a peacock's tail!

There's no big moral or revelation in this book, it's just a silly story.