Arnie, the Doughnut

Arnie, a doughnut with chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles, was eager for a customer to buy him from the Downtown Bakery. Then he discovered his eventual fate - to be eaten as a tasty treat - and was horrified. Managing to convince his purchaser, Mr. Bing, not to eat him, Arnie and his new human acquaintance began to brainstorm: what could a doughnut do, other than be a pastry? Fortunately, Mr. Bing had an idea...

Originally published in 2003, Arnie the Doughnut marked the first appearance of its eponymous edible hero, who would reappear in a chapter-book series devoted to his adventures, beginning in 2013. I enjoyed the story here, although I always wonder, with these anthropomorphic food item stories, in which the hero attempts to show more avoid being eaten, whether young children will be somehow affected, and unable to consume said item after hearing the tale? Not being able to to eat doughnuts anymore sounds like a terrible fate! Leaving that aside, the conclusion of the story also felt a little off to me, perhaps because I had trouble suspending my disbelief, as it concerns a doughnut as pet dog. Laurie Keller's artwork was colorful, if a little busy - lots of additional text, in the form of speech bubbles - but the overall effect was entertaining. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with a quirky, offbeat sense of humor. show less

I absolutely adore this book! Arnie is a naive doughnut that is excited to be sold. When he is sold, to his surprise doughnuts are made to be eaten! This whimsical book follows that journey with humous writing and a surprise ending. The writing keeps you on your toes and wondering how they will solve a predicament you won’t see coming. One of the main reasons I love this book is for the illustration. Bright colors fill the page with fun eye-catching drawings. Each page has so much detail, every time you read it you’ll find something new. The illustrations really make the words and story come alive. Another reason I enjoy this book is because of Arnie’s character. His voice really comes through with the authors writing. For show more example, in the beginning of the book Arnie is talking about his morning and say “I’m soaking in boiling grease! But I love it!” Personally, I could not help but laugh at this line and I’m sure kids will to. Again, the illustrations add so much to everything each of the characters say, especially Arnie! I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a fun read. show less

Arnie, the donut, wants to be bought so bad! He takes a car ride home with Mr. Bing. After getting home, Arnie learns that donuts get eaten! He convinces Mr. Bing not to eat him, and they work together to find Arnie a new purpose! This story had me giggling the whole time and had a really weird but sweet ending. I've never been so invested in the life of a donut before!

This is a really sweet book, no pun intended, and it took me for a ride. There are some spots that were pretty quirky and dark, but it ended on a very positive note. My expectations were subverted and I loved it. This is a classic Toy Story, Sausage Party plot that takes the audience into a world that they've never considered before.

I really enjoyed reading Arnie The Doughnut by Laurie Keller. First, I really liked the illustrations. They were very detailed and really enhanced the story. The thing I loved most about the illustrations was that even though the language could not be realistic for humans, the images connected it to a normal human activity. For example, the book said “2. Deep-Fried,” which humans would never do, but the image was of the doughnuts swimming in a pool. Another example from the book was that it said, “3. Cooled,” and the doughnuts were on the beach under an umbrella. Because the illustrations were representative of normal human activities, I feel like students will be able to connect to the book more. Something I also really like show more about the book was the characterization and the character development. I find it really cool when inanimate objects are the main character and think it makes the book and storyline very interesting! It was very interesting to see how Arnie started as a doughnut in a bakery and became a ‘doughnut dog’ by the end. Overall, Arnie The Doughnut by Laurie Keller was a very fun and entertaining book, and I really enjoyed reading it! show less

Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller is a humorous children's book. It tells the story of Arnie, a doughnut who is brought to life with a distinct personality. The book is filled with quirky illustrations, playful text, and fun dialogue.

This book is about the story of a doughnut who looks forward to going home with someone because he doesn't realize doughnuts are for eating and not to be friends. After discovering he is supposed to be eaten, Arnie accepts it but Mr. Bing no longer wants to eat him so they work together to figure out what he can do with Arnie instead. I originally chose this book because I love doughnuts and loved the colorful cover. Even though this book would probably be best as a fun read, it could teach that there is something for anyone to do and a place for everyone even when it doesn't seem like it.