Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! by Robin Newman

Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt!

Robin Newman, Author

Susan Batori, Illustrator

Sleeping Bear Press, Fiction, Mar. 15, 2021

Suitable for ages: 5-8

Themes: Bear, Woodpecker, Forest animals, Interpersonal relationships, Name-calling, Gossip, Humor

Opening: “Bear needed a lot of sleep. Two hundred and forty-three and a half days, to be precise. Anything less and he turned grizzly.”

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Bear is tired. The weather is getting cool and he’s ready for a nice long nap–he’s got earmuffs and a brand-new door to keep out the noise, plus a pair of fluffy bunny slippers. Meanwhile, real estate mogul Woodpecker finds his recent homes…missing. And he follows the trail of debris right to Bear’s new front door. When he “tap tap taps” to talk to Bear about it, the two engage in a feisty exchange of name-calling and gossip with the rest of their forest neighbors. Can they patch it up–literally–before Bear loses too much sleep?

Why I like this book:

Robin Newman’s Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt!” is an irresistibly funny picture book. Rich with Newman’s hilarious text and Susan Batori’s lively and expressive illustrations, Bear’s story shows children how hurtful name-calling can be and how important it is to compromise and apologize. Woodpecker’s exuberance plays off Bear’s grumpiness. At the height of their confrontation, large illustrations brilliantly show Bear and Woodpecker’s anger — nose to beak! The humor is spot-on and children will ROAR with laughter!

Newman has a distinct and clever voice as an author. She uses kid-pleasing sounds (GROWL SNARL, ROAR, PECK, PEST), repetition, witty wordplay and fun reiterations of butt. Newman hit a home run with Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! It’s her best picture book yet! Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! is an entertaining read-aloud for home or in the classroom. Make sure you watch the trailer below!

Resources: Engage children in a discussion about name-calling, using Bear and Woodpecker as examples. Ask kids if they’ve ever called someone a name? Have they ever been called a name? How did it make them feel — mad, hurt, bullied, or surprised? Help children make a list of what they can do to stop name-calling. Encourage kids to draw a picture of their favorite scene in Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt!

Robin Newman was raised in New York City and Paris where she was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, peacocks, bears and woodpeckers. She is the author of the popular chapter books Griswold and Wilcox Mystery series, and picture books No Peacocks! and Hilde Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep. She lives in New York with her husband, son, goldfish, and two spoiled English Cocker Spaniels, and one French Bulldog. Visit her at her website.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by the author is exchange for a review.

The Case of the Bad Apples by Robin Newman

The Case of the Bad Apples (A Wilcox and Griswold Mystery)

Robin Newman, Author

Deborah Zemke, Illustrator

Creston Books, Fiction, Sep. 1, 2020

Suitable for ages: 5-11

Themes: Animals, Pigs, Farm, Mystery, Detectives, Crime, Bad apples

Opening: “Boys and girls, this case is about some bad apples on Ed’s farm.”

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Detective Wilcox and Captain Griswold are on the case again, trying to discover who poisoned the apples Porcini pigged out on. Was it Sweet Pea, the piglet next door; Herman the Rat; or Hot Dog the nosy pooch? Who had motive, means, and no alibi? Follow the clues and figure out who was behind Porcini’s terrible tummy ache.

Why I like this book:

Robin Newman has penned a spirited and comical third chapter book in The Wilcox and Griswold Mystery series. Wilcox and Griswold (Missing Food Investigators or MFI’s) are called daily to solve a food problem on Ed’s Farm. This time a troublemaker has left a gift basket of poisoned Granny Smith apples for Porcini to hog down. And he’s hog sick.

No one hits the sweet spot with food- and animal-based wordplay like Newman. PIG-DIC-U-LOUS! She’s a master and her food-related crimes are hilarious! She had me chuckling from page one with “Porcini pigged out” on apples. “Rushing to the scene, the MFI’s get caught in heavy rush hour traffic. “There are road hogs, squealing, oinking, and grunting, but they finally let us pass. Typical road hogs. Typical indeed.”

Everyone is suspect on Ed’s Farm for the attempted “hamslaughter.” Sweet Pea, the piglet; Herman, the rat; Fowler, the owl; and Hot Dog, the nosy pooch, who Porcini claims regularly steals his food. Will Dr. Alberta Einswine, from Whole Hog Emergency Care, be able to help the detectives get to the rotten core of this mystery?

Don’t miss the fun details on every page: Porcini looking pretty green with his tummy ache, hoof prints left on the remaining apples, and other gathered evidence. And make sure you check out the endpapers for the detective details, case report, and evidence folder. Dr. Einswine’s report is not to be missed! And there is a recipe for Apple Pockets that kids can make at home, with supervision.

Deborah Zemke‘s colorful and expressive illustrations fill each page and contribute to the silliness of this perfect mystery about “who done it.” Another exceptional collaboration between the author and illustrator. Here’s hopping for more Wilcox and Griswold cases to solve.

Resources: Check out Robin Newman’s website. She has a wonder Teacher’s Guide to use with student that covers this puzzling mystery about who wanted to make pork chops out of Porcini. Wanna be detectives will delight in going through all of the steps of solving a crime.

Robin Newman was raised in New York City (a/k/a the Big Apple) and Paris where she was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. She lives
in New York with her husband, son, two English Cocker Spaniels, and one French Bulldog. Visit her at her website.

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the MMGM link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a review.

Winner of No Peacocks! by Robin Newman

We have a winner of author Robin Newman’s new book, No Peacocks!

My husband selected the winner.

Congratulations to SUE HEAVENRICH! Sue is the author of Archimedes Notebook, where she shares children’s books about science and the environment.

Sue, contact me or I will send you an email if I don’t hear. I need your mailing address! I know you will have a lot fun with this book!

Thank you all for participating! And remember you can find No Peacocks! flying off shelves of your local book store, and at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And be sure to check out Robin Newman’s website.

No Peacocks! – Bird Talk with Harry – Book Giveaway

Book Review and Interview with Harry the Peacock

Book Giveaway

No Peacocks!

Robin Newman, Author

Chris Ewald, Illustrator

Sky Pony Press, Fiction, Sep. 4, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Peacocks, Behavior, Humor, Friendship, Teamwork

Synopsis:

Every day, Phil, Jim, and Harry are fed sunflower seeds by the staff who care  for them at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. But one day, they decide they’re sick of seeds. They make a break for the New York City streets in search of pizza or Chinese takeout. But everywhere they go, they’re told “No peacocks!”

So, they try to get an ooey, gooey, delicious meal closer to home. But  how are they going to sneak into The Cathedral School’s dining hall and get their wings on the school’s world-famous mac ’n cheese? A little plotting, some stolen disguises, and help from the students, and the mission is a go!

Will the peacocks get their mac ’n cheese? Or will their cover be blown, forcing them to fly the coop? This fictional feathered tale was inspired by the real-life beloved celebrity birds living on the Cathedral grounds.

Why I like this book:

Three conniving peacocks with character and so much more. Robin Newman once again entertains readers with her masterful puns — this time bird puns — which will elicit some joyful giggles from children and encourage them to find more puns. The text is funny and the vocabulary rich.

Readers will cheer for these three proud and cocky friends as they plot to steal some of the school’s mac ‘n cheese. Phil, Jim and Harry are quirky, mischievous, and even devious in their pursuit of the cafeteria’s famous specialty. It is a perfect read-aloud at home or in the classroom!

Chris Ewald’s colorful and lively illustrations contribute to the fun-loving antics, hilarity and silliness of this dynamic threesome – Jim Phil and Harry.

I’ve got the inside scoop from none other than, Harry, one of the three resident peacocks.

The Scoop from the Coop: Bird Talk with Harry, the Peacock

This is the real Harry! Photo courtesy of Robin Newman.

PT: It’s a pleasure to have Harry, the peacock, visiting the blog today. Harry is one of three resident peacocks living on the grounds of The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Harry, thanks for stopping by the blog. First, I have to tell you I’m a HUGE fan of peacocks.

Harry: Thank you! That’s very nice to hear. Peacocks have received a lot of bad press lately.

PT: Did you hear about the woman who was barred from bringing her emotional support peacock on an airplane?

Harry: Oh yes! Poor Dexter! Terrible! I bet if the woman had tried to bring her dog or cat on the plane instead of Dexter, it would have been a very different story. The P.C.L.U., Peacock Civil Liberties Union, has filed a suit against the airline. Phil, Jim, and I have also written letters to our peacock representatives in Washington, D.C.

PT: I have to say, when I think of city “pets,” I normally don’t think of peacocks. Is it rare to have peacocks as pets in Manhattan?

Harry: I’ve never met any other peacocks on the Upper West Side. So, I guess the answer to your question is yes.

PT: Do you get along with the neighborhood dogs?

Harry: That’s a “No” with a capital N! Dogs are the worst! They’re constantly chasing after us. I heard from the hawks, Norman and Madeleine, that a peacock who had lived at The Cathedral before Phil, Jim, and I arrived got into a terrible disagreement with a dog and sadly, it did not end well for the peacock.

PT: I’m so sorry to hear that. Now, the three of you are very much New York celebrities. You’ve been written up in a number of publications, including The New York Times, NY Daily News, Newsday, and Time Out NY. Is it hard being in the limelight all of the time?

Harry: Not at all. The tourists are wonderfully friendly (unlike the dogs) and they’ll often drop snacks on the ground.

PT: Everyone is raving about your new book, No Peacocks! by Robin Newman and illustrated by Chris Ewald. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Harry: Phil, Jim, and I love to eat! Peacocks are omnivores by nature and will eat just about anything. The book is about our quest to get our wings on The Cathedral School’s famous mac ‘n cheese. The book is about friendship, teamwork, and for fun, has a mild sprinkling of fowl behavior.

PT: I have to tell you that when I took my five-year old daughter to Disney World, she had a blast dancing with a white peacock.

Harry: Peacocks do like to shake their tail feathers on the dance floor, especially Phil.

PT: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Harry. It’s rare that I get to interview such a New York City celebrity. No Peacocks! is available in bookstores EVERYWHERE. You can also catch Robin Newman at The Warwick Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, October 6th, from 11 am – 4 pm. Her books will also be available at the Metro NY SCBWI table at the Brooklyn Book Festival for children’s day on Saturday, September 15th, 10 am – 4 pm.

No Peacocks! flew onto bookshelves September 4th. Give No Peacocks! a little book love by sharing it on Facebook and Twitter. It will help Robin Newman spread the word.

Book Giveaway: All you have to do is leave a comment below by midnight September 17 and indicate you’d like to win a copy of No Peacocks!, and be a resident of the U.S. Sharing this post on Twitter and FB will also boost your chances of winning. I will announce the winner on September 19.

Website: http://www.robinnewmanbooks.com
Twitter: @robinnewmanbook
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RobinNewmanBooks/339179099505049

Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. She is the author of the Wilcox & Griswold Mystery series, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake and The Case of the Poached Egg, and Hilde Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep. She lives in New York with her husband, son, goldfish, and two spoiled Cocker Spaniels, who are extremely fond of Phil, Jim, and Harry.

*Book provided by the author.

The Case of the Poached Egg by Robin Newman

The Case of the Poached Egg

Robin Newman, Author

Deborah Zemke, Illustrator

Creston Books, Fiction, Apr. 2, 2017

Suitable for Ages:4-8

Themes: Mystery, Detectives, Thieves, Stolen Egg, Farm Animals

Opening: “Boys and girls, this case is about a poached egg on Ed’s farm. Over 100 animals live on this farm. Most work. Some horse around.. Others steal. That’s where I come in. My name is Detective Wilcox. I’m a policemouse.”

Publisher Synopsis: When Penny goes missing from Henrietta Hen’s nest, Wilcox and Griswold are called in to track her down. Was the egg stolen by a rival for The Most Round in the Spring Egg-stravaganza? Was she used in a carrot cake or scrambled by a hungry porker? Or was she held for a hefty corn ransom? Who took Penny and can the detectives find her before trouble hatches?

Why I like this book:

Fans of Wilcox and Griswold will cheer at the return of the their favorite no-nonsense mice detectives in Robin Newman’s latest crime caper, The Case of the Poached Egg. Spirited and comical, readers will dive into the police work and help find the Henrietta’s stolen egg.

Newman is a master at writing highly entertaining food-based wordplay which will tickle every child’s gander. Newman creates the right amount of suspense that will keep kids engaged and turning pages to figure out who poached Penny. Her pacing is exceptional and readers will like the clever ending.

The characters are quirky, dramatic and memorable. Henrietta Hen is ready to fly the coop when she discovers Penny, her precious egg, has been stolen (poached) from her nest. Everyone is suspect on Ed’s Farm as Wilcox and Griswold try to crack the case. Gabby Goose is the farm gossip and her egg, Gertie, is competing against Penny. Miss Rabbit bakes her famous carrot cakes with eggs. Even Porcini Pig’s slop is examined. Colonel Peck, the farm’s rooster, is missing corn kernels.

Readers will become competent detectives as they learn how to investigate a crime scene, interview suspects, look at a ransom note, set up surveillance and stakeouts, and solve a mystery.

Deborah Zemke’s lively, expressive and colorful illustrations fill each page and contribute to the hilarity and silliness of this perfect mystery. Make sure you check out all the fun details on every page: Gabby’s egg pouch for Gertie, fowl prints, broken egg shells, and the coup boxes with all the hens’ names. Don’t forget the endpapers for the detective details: case report, evidence folder and wanted posters. There is egg-ceptional collaboration between the author and illustrator. Here’s hoping for more Wilcox and Griswold cases to solve. The Case of the Poached Egg is a winner!

Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. Her debut book, Wilcox and Griswold’s first mystery, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, earned a starred review from Kirkus and 2015 Best Middle Grade Book.

Resources: Check out Robin Newman’s website. She has a wonderful Teachers Guide to use with students that cover every eggs-pect of this puzzling poached egg mystery. Future detectives will be delighted with the egg-structions that will take them through all of the steps of solving a crime.

Join Robin Newman for a book signing April 20 at 5:30 p.m., Corner Bookstore, 1313 Madison Ave. at 93rd, New York, NY.

Check other Middle Grade review links on author Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

*I received a review copy of The Case of the Poached Egg. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep

Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep

Robin Newman, Author

Chris Ewald, Illustrator

Creston Books, Fiction, Feb. 23, 2016

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Witch, Noisy neighbors, Problem-solving, Differences, Humor

Opening: “There’s a little-known secret about Hildie Bitterpickles. She needs her sleep.”

Synopsis: A redheaded young witch prepares for bed. As she cuddles with her cat, Clawdia, she hears a very noisy, “CLANGITY, CLANK, CLUNK, all night long.” She discovers that a giant has moved in next door. The neighborhood gets another jolt when an old woman moves in with a brood of noisy children and a wolf blows off the roof of her house. In exasperation Hildie turns to Rat Realty to find a new home in a quiet neighborhood, only to discover moving isn’t her answer. What will Hildie do to get a good night’s sleep?

Why I like this book:

What a pickle! Robin Newman has written a playful and clever fractured fairy tale about a young witch who learns some very important lessons about getting along with her rambunctious neighbors. Moving away and avoiding them isn’t an easy solution. Hildie discovers that if she confronts her problems with her neighbors, they are willing to work with her to find solutions. This is also an important story about honoring the differences in others.

Newman’s story is character driven, with a feisty and determined witch. Readers will delight in spotting a host of fairy tale characters that include blind mice, black sheep and other familiar storybook figures. The pacing is perfect with quirky and humorous storytelling. Chris Ewald’s gauzy, caricatured images are expressive, colorful and funny. My favorite illustration shows Hildie standing between the Giant’s two very hairy feet. There is a perfect marriage between text and artwork.

Resources: This is a lively classroom discussion book about avoidance versus confrontation. Visit Robin Newman’s website where you will find a free teacher’s guide download and view the video trailer for Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep. Children can also make their own Hildie Bitterpickles paper dolls.

Robin Newman is the author of Wilcox and Griswold: Case of the Missing Carrot Cake. Newman will publish another Wilcox and Griswold mystery sequel, The Case of the Poached Egg, in the spring of 2017, and No Peacocks!, illustrated by Chris Ewald, in the fall of 2017. Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs and peacocks.

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

Robin Newman, Author

Deborah Zemke, Illustrator

Creston Books, Fiction, May 12, 2015

Pages: 40

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Theme: Mystery, Detectives, Thieves, Stolen Cake, Farm Animals

Synopsis: The carrot cake Miss Rabbit bakes for her party goes missing on Ed’s Farm. With over 100 animals, all are suspect including the owl, dog and pig. Enter Detectives Wilcox, a policemouse and his boss, Captain Griswold. They are Missing Food Investigators (MFLs) and their job is to investigate food crimes. Has the cake been eaten or stolen? Who is the thief? What is the motive?

What I like about this book:

Debut author Robin Newman introduces young readers to the world of police work and solving mysteries and crimes in her deliciously entertaining chapter book. Each of the six chapters highlight detective work: investigation of the crime scene, interviewing of suspects, setting up video surveillance and stakeouts.
The characters are funny and memorable. Miss Rabbit is in a tizzy donning PJs covered in frosting. Owl offers wise advice. Porcini Pig is the best corn thief in town. Hot Dog is my favorite character, as he shows true doggie friendship when he bakes Miss Rabbit another carrot cake.
Wilcox and Griswold are hard-nosed, seasoned professionals keenly focused on the facts and evidence. They take their work seriously, but with no more suspects they are pacing, chewing on cheese donuts and trying to come up with a plan.
The text is funny and the vocabulary is rich and jam-packed with food-based puns. Newman creates the right amount of suspense that will keep kids engaged and turning pages to figure out the cake culprit. There is a surprise turn-of-events. If readers are still hungry for more, there is a recipe for a carrot cake at the end.
Deborah Zemke’s colorful cartoon-like illustrations fill each page and contribute to the hilarity and silliness of this perfect mystery about “who dunnit.” Great collaborative work between the author and illustrator. Here’s hoping for more Wilcox and Griswold cases to solve. Visit Robin Newman and Deborah Zemke at their websites.