Lane Smith

Fact and fiction, old and new styles of illustration, wit and seriousness combine in this pithy, lighthearted look at four luminaries in American history. Only mature readers will appreciate the title's name play but are sure to chuckle at the take on John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington and Ben Franklin. Fact is clearly differentiated from fun at book's end.

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Humdrum family activities turn into stand-up comedy in text and illustrations with the understated lines in this parody of the old "Dick & Jane" readers. Newly independent readers will appreciate the short sentences presented in short stories, illustrated to look like books from the 1950s; sophisticated readers will appreciate the spoof.

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Human kids will understand where little green, freckle-faced Henry P. Baloney is coming from. He's late again, and is sure to serve detention forever if he can't come up with a good excuse for his teacher as to why he's late again. Words Henry uses sound truly alien, but there's enough context to figure out their meaning - and a funny surprise waiting at book's end.

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Rough sketches and ideas by the original Dr. Seuss were completed after his death by a jubilant collaboration between poet Jack Prelutsky and illustrator Lane Smith. Not only will readers glimpse Theodor Geisel's process of creation, they will delight in meeting Miss Bonkers and the Diffendoofer School presented in Seussian text and illustrations that integrate Smith's signature style with familiar Geisel.

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As a gift from his magician uncle, Joe receives The Book setting into motion a series of humorous time travel adventures. Joe and his friends, Fred and Sam, travel to King Arthur's England where they meet dragons, knights and more in this first Time Warp Trio trip. Smith's black/white illustrations punctuate the action in this fast-paced tale.

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The narrator's curse begins when she is told by her math teacher that math is all around. And so it is - including every part of this very funny book as it examines math and its functions. Text and illustration are seamlessly one allowing the book to be appreciated on several levels.

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This boy's curse begins when his teacher suggests that the "poetry of science" can be heard everywhere. From Moore to Frost, familiar poems are parodied and turned into science verse. Again art and illustration are inseparable as are the laughs in this offbeat look at science.

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Scieszka and Smith set sights on creating fresh fables - short traditional tales intended to teach a moral lesson. With humorous twists and take-offs, new, different and wacky fables are presented for readers' edification and amusement.

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The incomparable author and illustrator team retells traditional tales such as the "Gingerbread Man" and the "Little Red Hen" in inventive and hilarious ways, sure to make readers familiar with the originals laugh out loud. Even the traditional format of the book is changed to suit the absurdity of the new versions, for a memorable reading experience.

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Alexander T. Wolf tells his side of the story which he tells from jail: the true story. All of the sympathy goes toward those three rude little pigs; Alexander was framed. Well, the real story started with a cup of sugar and a sneeze…all illustrated with Smith's semiabstract, angular and sophisticated style.

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