Pham, LeUyen. Itchy Book. LeUyen Pham, Illus. Easy Reader. Elephant and Piggie Like Reading Series; bk. 5. Hyperion, 05/2018. [64]pp. $9.99. 978-1-368-00564-7. OUTSTANDING. GRADES K-2.
There is nothing that makes a person more itchy than being told not to scratch, and dinosaurs are no different. Pham’s story is rendered entirely in dialogue, but her illustrations of dinosaurs concentrating on not scratching convey the struggle with great feeling with lightning rods to demonstrate the itches. Cartoon-style dinosaurs cavort in brightly colored clothing on vibrant yellow backgrounds, doing their best to present a “tough dinosaur” persona. Although dinosaurs are popular with the intended reading audience, there’s not much fiction to meet the demand, and Pham’s contribution will be welcomed with open arms.
Beth Gousman, Montclair School