| "Glorious,
insightful, comic, and wise. Steig knows exactly what children
think is funny." --The New York Times Book Review
A playful story of poor,
misunderstood Spinky, lying in his hammock with a dreadful case of
the sulks.
Awards
ALA Notable Book
Horn Book Fanfare
New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the
Year
New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year
Publishers Weekly Notable Children's Book of the Year
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews - *starred
review
Spinky has such an exaggerated case of the sulks that the most
confirmed pouter (unless similarly engaged at the moment) will see
its humor, even while empathizing with Spinky's stubbornness.
Nothing his family does mollifies him -- not his mother's kisses, not
his brother's apology ("You were positively right! . . .
Philadelphia is the capital of Belgium"), not his father's
sensible ignoring of him, not even a circus parade. His life ruined,
he hunkers down in a hammock for a couple of days while everyone
tries to cheer him up--until, in the fullness of time, he comes
around on his own generous terms. Steig recounts this bit of realia
with a splendid array of vivid words, comfortably arranged in
colloquial cadences; his illustrations amplify the deft
characterizations and nuances with warmth and impeccable design.
Horn Book - *starred
review
Spinky sulks on a grand scale, thoroughly rejecting his family's
loving attempts at reconciliation until a rainstorm forces him to
reconsider. But how to do it without losing his self-respect? Spinky
decides to throw a grand breakfast party; dressed as a clown, he
welcomes his family back into his good graces. And they, of course,
are much more careful of his feelings now, though whether they can
keep it up seems an open question. Steig's spoof of childish
behavior goes on a bit too long, but its exaggerated display of
family contortions to accommodate Spinky constitute a picture of
wish fulfillment that is near and dear to a child's heart. Spinky's
fierce, self-righteous wrath is at once funny and telling. Steig's
pen and brush capture the absurdity of Spinky's ploys in his
usual facile way and leave a message that is clear but hardly
didactic; this portrayal is squarely on the side of the child. |
Spinky
Sulks