Dad: We're all gathered around a special secret package that came in the mail! From a very nice person...Isaac (age 10): It looks like a book!
Dad: And we're going to record a Bookie Woogie review as we unveil it...
Isaac: "Knuckleheads!" This one looks good.
Dad: So, what do the characters look like?
Isaac: Hands...
Gracie (age 8): That's why they're called Knuckleheads.
Isaac: I think that's a nose though...
Dad: Yep. "Nose White" Here are the four stories in the book: "Handsel and Gretel," "Handerella," "Thumbelina," and "Nose White."
Isaac: I want to see this book! I want to read! I want to read!
Dad: Wowsers, you're excited... Okay this is "Knuckle Heads," written by Joan Holub, illustrated by Michael Slack.
Gracie: I want to read "Handerella" first!
Isaac: I want to read "Thumbelina."
Dad: Well we're going to read all of them...
Reading commences....
...Reading concludes.
Dad: So what did you think of "Knuckleheads," you knuckleheads?
Isaac: It's good!
Gracie: It's really good! Awesome!
Lily (age 5): There was a lot of stuff with hands.
Isaac: Hands, hands, hands, hands, and one white glove.
Gracie: And a nose.
Isaac: And an oven mitt. And a foot.
Gracie: The pictures look like "Scrambled States of America" and "Arnie the Doughnut" because the drawings are kind of cut-papery and there are little picture-thingies off to the side of the pages.
Isaac: There were lots of jokes.
Lily: There was "finger food..." like, because they have fingers.
Isaac: I realize why the police said "caught you red-handed..." Get it - she has the red oven mitt on.
Gracie: The evil oven mitt...
Dad: Did you catch any other hand jokes?
Isaac: Catch them? The police would have to catch them.
Dad: Ha ha... I see you're making up your own jokes now.
Gracie: The book had "step sisters" - get it? Because they are made out of feet!
Lily: And "thumbs up..." Get it - Thumbs up!
Gracie: "Hand in marriage..." Get it - Hand in marriage...
Lily: Get it! Handing in my resignation!
Gracie: Get it! Shoe in!
Dad: I kept thinking she was going to run out of hand puns, but she kept coming up with more and more.
Isaac: Hands, hands, hands, hands...
Lily: There were one, two, three, four stories in this book.
Dad: How was the first story different from the normal Hansel and Gretel story?
Gracie: It was a finger food house instead of a candy house. They dropped fingernails instead of breadcrumbs. And the kids didn't get along at all.
Lily: When they got to the fingerfood eating house, that's when the bad, bad, bad, bad witch came.
Gracie: The evil witch - she's green. And she's evil. And she's ugly.
Isaac: Once she dressed up as a foot.
Gracie: She's in every single story. She's popular.
Dad: She kind of ties all the stories together doesn't she.
Lily: Get it! Ties them! You tie things with your fingers!
Dad: What-- Now you're finding too many puns - even in places they don't belong!
Lily: Hee hee!
Dad: What did you think of the characters?
Isaac: Hands, hands, hands, hands...
Lily: I like Gretel.
Isaac: I like Officer Whiteglove. But, uggh - the teacher was freaky.
Gracie: Thumbelina looks weird. She's blue.
Lily: I like her. I think she's cute...
Isaac: Thumbelina's story was fast. Maybe the author did run out of jokes.
Lily: I like Handerella. She looked beauuuuu-ti-ful...
Gracie: You always like all the girls.
Isaac: I see a dog with fingers for ears...
Dad: What is that stuff Handerella is holding -- it's disgusting. It's got nail clippings in it.
Gracie: Maybe it's the crud from between the step sisters' toes...
Dad: Ewwwww...
Isaac: Yuck.
Gracie: The Hand-some Finger Prints had fingerprints floating over his head.
Lily: Look at his crown - it's like fingers!
Gracie: Oh, and this guy has weird hair on his knuckles.
Dad: Do you see what all the guests are doing at the ball? What are they spelling? You guys know some sign language, don't you?
Gracie: L - O - V - E... that's love!
Lily: I like that girl....
Gracie: Nose White has a ring on her nose -- which is her head.
Dad: So, would you read "Knuckleheads" again?
Gracie: Oh yeah baby.
Lily: Let's read it again. Now.
Dad: Right now? Guess so... Lily is opening the pages as we speak...
handprint people, by Gracie
footprint person with toe people, by Lily
thumbprint people, by IsaacNote: you can always click on the pictures for a larger view...
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Michael Slack
Published, 2008: Chronicle Books
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