Kiss Kiss Yuck Yuck by Kyle Mewburn, Ali Teo and John O'Reilly

Title: Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!
Author: Kyle Mewburn
Illustrator: Ali Teo and John O'Reilly
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Pages: 32
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (September 1, 2008)
Genre: Children's Book
Edition: Hardback - Many thanks to Peachtree Publishers for sending me a copy to review for Children's Book Week!



Perfect for : Personal reading, children's story time, gift book for the little boy in your life

In a nutshell: This book had me laughing in moments. I've known little boys who receive kisses or hugs, just to wipe them off and say "Yucky!" This book is perfect for just such a little boy! Little Andy is always trying to hide from huggy-kissy Auntie Elsie. . . he runs. . . he hides. . . he even climbs up trees - all to escape from Auntie Elsie, who ALWAYS manages to catch him. Until one day that she doesn't show up and he realizes that he misses her. This book is really cute, with fun and entertaining illustrations that are a mix of cartoon drawing and photographed textures (when Dad wears jeans, he is a cartoon character, but the cartoon drawing of his jeans in actually filled in with a picture of real jeans.).

Extended Review:
Characters: Andy seems like a typical little boy - he loves his family, loves to explore, but hates hugs and kisses! Auntie Elsie seems like a fun and colorful aunt.

Story-Line: Auntie Elsie seems to have fun finding Andy as he runs and hides from her kisses, and gets a nice surprise when he turns the tables on her after she breaks her leg and misses a few visits.

Illustrations: The illustrations are fun and entertaining, and are a mix of cartoon drawing and photographed textures: when Dad wears jeans, he is a cartoon character, but the cartoon drawing of his jeans in actually filled in with a picture of real jeans, when Andy hides in the chicken coop under the straw, the straw REALLY looks real!

Readability: The words on each page are large and easy to read, and children will love to read along with the "Kiss! Kiss!" and "Yuck! Yuck!"

Overall: A great book for little boys (and girls). The book is a great way to explore how much we love and appreciate friends and relatives and how we feel when we miss them.

From the Publisher:
The next time Auntie Elsie came to visit, Andy hid under the bed. ‘Where’s my Andy Apple Jelly?’ cried Aunt Elsie.

Every time Auntie Elsie comes to visit she gives Andy two big sloppy kisses. Kiss! Kiss! on the left cheek. Kiss! Kiss! on the right cheek. Yuck! Yuck! Andy says to himself.

Andy is a fast runner. But not fast enough to outrun Auntie Elsie. Andy is good at hiding. But Auntie Elsie always finds him. When he ducks down in a pig pen, she climbs right over the fence. When he climbs a tree, she follows right after him.

But then Auntie Elsie breaks her leg and stops coming to visit. Andy realizes he misses Aunt Elsie and her sloppy kisses. One day, a taxi pulls by the gate and out come two crutches. Now it’s Andy’s turn to get Aunt Elsie. Kiss! Kiss! Hug! Hug!

Kyle Mewburn’s funny story of an overly affectionate aunt and her long-suffering nephew will resonate with readers, who will instantly recognize the bond of love that unites the two characters. Ali Teo and John O’Reilly’s colorful and quirky multimedia illustrations, which combine freehand drawing and photographic collage, exaggerate the humor of the story.

About the Author: (from the publisher's site)

Kyle Mewburn was born in Australia and educated at the Queensland Institute of Technology. He’s had all sorts of jobs, including sports reporting, teaching, traffic counting, and volunteering on a kibbutz. Now he lives in New Zealand in a house that he built himself and writes books. He is also the author of BEAR IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, NO ROOM FOR A MOUSE, DUCK’S STUCK, and ANT’S BAGGY PANTS.

Ali Teo and John O'Reilly both grew up in New Zealand and studied graphic design. Ali has illustrated several books, including KISS! KISS! YUCK! YUCK!, BARNABY BENNETT, and OH HOGWASH, SWEET PEA! Ali and John live and work together in New Zealand, along with three dogs and a bird.

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